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Portugal's Left Bloc party says national health service at risk

Xinhua, September 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

The leader of Portugal's Left Bloc, Catarina Martins, on Monday highlighted the Portuguese National Health Service (SNS) 's important role and called for professionals to be respected.

During a campaign before the general elections on Oct. 4, while visiting a hospital in Coimbra, northern Portugal, Martins told journalists that the SNS was a "reference" for the country and pointed out that it was undergoing great difficulties.

"We need to respect professionals from the National Health Service (SNS) because we need all this investment, all this knowledge, and all this that is the best thing we built under a democracy to be protected," she told journalists, according to Portuguese Lusa News Agency.

She added that the Portuguese were experiencing difficulties in accessing the public health service due to user charges increasing, and pointed to a rise in the price of medications as well as the cost of transportation of the sick.

She said many young professionals had to work in the private sector or find opportunities abroad due to precarious working conditions.

Portugal's Left Block has fierily criticized the austerity the country has been applying since signing a 78 billion euro bailout with international lenders in 2011, but has failed to gain mass support. The party rose 0.8 percentage point to 7.5 percent in a tracking poll released on Monday by Intercampus. Endit