Micaela Freitas, Regional Secretary for Health and Civil Protection, called for permanent collaboration between Health services and the PSP, focusing on prevention, proximity, clear procedures, and rapid response.
"Protecting those who care is, therefore, protecting those who need care," Freitas stated at the opening of the 1st 'Security and Health' Meeting, organized by the PSP and SESARAM. She stressed that intervention should not begin only after an assault but through risk identification and preparing health units for conflict situations.
The official outlined five principles for safety in Health: "prevent, train, protect, act, and accompany." Training provided by the PSP is deemed important for professionals to identify and de-escalate violence, although assaults on staff are not very common in the region, they do occur.
Micaela Freitas also addressed staff shortages in certain areas, acknowledging them as the main cause of issues and noting that recruitment processes are underway. She assured that since January 2026, all departing professionals have been replaced, though administrative procedures may delay immediate re-staffing.
