The visit comes at a particularly busy time for healthcare services in the Algarve, when the region's population increases considerably during the summer months.

As reported by Sul Informação, the minister's programme starts in Faro, where she is expected to visit several hospital facilities and projects.

Unit inauguration

At Faro Hospital, Ana Paula Martins is due to inaugurate the renovated Psychiatry inpatient unit and visit the ongoing work on the hospital's outdoor areas and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry service.

She will also visit the new Community Care Unit in facilities provided by Faro Municipality and attend the signing of an addendum to the cooperation agreement involving the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS), the Algarve Local Health Unit (ULS Algarve), the Loulé/Faro Municipal Association and the municipalities of Faro and Loulé.

The agreement relates to the access infrastructure for the future Algarve Central Hospital, a project that has been discussed in the region for many years.

Several other agreements are also on the programme, including cooperation within the National System of Early Childhood Intervention (SNIPI) with APEXA in Albufeira and APPC in Faro, as well as an agreement with Refúgio Aboim Ascensão concerning the protection of young children.

New facilities

Before leaving Faro, the Health Minister is also expected to see the work being carried out on new facilities for complementary diagnostic and therapeutic services at Faro Hospital.

The visit then continues west to Lagos, where Ana Paula Martins is due to inaugurate the new imaging facilities at Hospital Terras do Infante.

Her programme also includes a stop at Hospital do Barlavento Algarvio in Portimão. Here, another cooperation agreement under the National System of Early Childhood Intervention is expected to be signed with Amigos dos Pequeninos de Silves and NECI, from Lagos.

The minister's visit comes while Algarve hospitals continue to face pressure on emergency services, particularly during the summer. Sul Informação highlighted waiting times at the emergency departments in Faro and Portimão as one of the issues surrounding today's visit.

Ana Paula Martins is expected to spend the day visiting different parts of the Algarve's public healthcare network, with the programme covering new and renovated facilities as well as agreements involving healthcare services, municipalities and local organisations.