The executive director of the SNS, Álvaro Almeida, stated this Tuesday that the “specific needs” for flu vaccines that are registered in some local health units in the country “will be met in the coming weeks”.
Speaking to journalists in Évora, the person responsible rejected the idea that there is a stockout in some places in the countrypointing out before that “there were vaccination points that ran out of vaccines”.
“There is no shortage of stock, because the program is not immediate, it has continued gradually. We currently have some specific needs, which will be met in the coming weeks”, he highlighted.
Álvaro Almeida was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a visit to the Évora hospital, as part of the tour that the Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, is carrying out at the country’s local health units (ULS).
According to the executive director of the SNS, the vaccination program was “particularly successful” this year, with “vaccination rates much higher than last year”.
“Given the success of the vaccination program, there was and is, in some well-defined and limited locations, some limitations on vaccines for people over 85 years of age”, he reiterated, assuring that the problem “will be resolved”.
O responsible indicated that “part of the problem will be resolved almost immediately”, highlighting that, if these difficulties persist, “it may take a little longer” to be resolved.
Asked about the Contingency Plan for the Seasonal Health Response for the winter, Álvaro Almeida replied that the strategy has been set up and that the guidelines defined by the authority are already being followed.
“The units have each presented their plans and we are prepared to start acting in the contingencies that arise”, he said, adding that, in terms of health, the country will “have a winter that is no worse than that of previous years”.