“The shortage of paediatric doctors, in addition to some situations of sick leave, make it impossible to set up paediatric emergency teams, so we are forced to close the Paediatrics emergency department at the Faro unit, from today until Monday” , said CHUA in a statement.

According to the hospital, which integrates the hospitals in Faro, Portimão and Lagos, between today and Monday “the Paediatrics emergency department of the Portimão unit will remain open”.

“Despite all the multiple and repeated initiatives, with other hospitals, individual doctors and the hierarchical structure, we were unable to recruit paediatric specialists to avoid the current situation”, explains CHUA.

The administration appeals to users to resort “whenever possible to their assistant doctors and health centres and, secondly, to the Basic Emergency Services of Vila Real de Santo António, Loulé, Albufeira or Lagos, and, when absolutely necessary, to the Paediatric Emergency Service of the Portimão Unit”.

However, they add, children who come to the Emergency Department of Faro will be channelled to the general emergency.

According to CHUA, the Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Faro will continue to be fully operational and will guarantee maternity support and assistance in the most serious paediatric clinical situations.