Several hundred people marched to the Assembly of the Republic in Lisbon to advocate for greater inclusion of individuals with mental health conditions in public policy decisions. Organized by the FNERDM, the protest called for improved support in housing, education, and employment, arguing that the current system needs to move beyond institutional-style practices to genuine community-based empowerment.
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The government is planning to merge four key health entities into two agencies to reduce overlap and inefficiency. Specifically, the Executive Directorate of the SNS (DE-SNS) will merge with the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS) and parts of the Shared Services of the Ministry of Health (SPMS), while the Directorate-General of Health (DGS) will merge with the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA).
A new DGS directive allows for the distribution of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV) through local health centers and community organizations. However, these associations are currently unable to initiate these consultations due to a lack of allocated funding.
The proposed 2027 State Budget includes the first cut to the health sector since the troika era. The head of the Medical Association has publicly labeled the proposal an "obstacle budget" and is requesting urgent clarifications from the Government.