Madeira currently lacks the training capacity to specialize new occupational health doctors, owing to an insufficient number of professionals on the island. This limitation was acknowledged by the Regional Secretary for Health, Micaela Freitas, during the first national congress of ANAMET, held in Funchal.
The official explained that opening positions for intern doctors depends on the training capacity of services. For this reason, the Regional Government has established protocols with hospital units on the mainland for specialties where this capacity is absent, although she admitted this solution does not guarantee the doctors' return to the island after training.
Micaela Freitas also mentioned that a study on anticipated retirements across different medical specialties is underway to plan future vacancies. She also addressed the need to expand occupational health services within the Public Administration, a responsibility falling under that sector's oversight.
