Azores health official addresses mental health and school wellness

Mónica Seidi, the Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security in the Azores, has highlighted key developments in regional healthcare, focusing on mental health and school-based wellness programs.

Regarding mental health, Seidi noted a shortage of psychiatrists in the Azores Regional Health Service, though the ratio has improved from 5.1 to 6.5 per 100,000 inhabitants since 2022. To address this, the region is utilizing island health units for psychiatric consultancy and training 10 medical interns. Conversely, the region maintains a high ratio of psychologists in primary care, at 26 per 100,000 inhabitants, which is more than double the national average. Seidi emphasized that the primary challenge is improving communication and coordination between various health entities.

In the area of youth health, the Regional School Health Program reached approximately 31,000 students across 83 regular schools and 11 vocational schools during the 2024/2025 academic year. The government aims to ensure equitable healthcare access for all children in the Azores, regardless of their island. Efforts include increasing the number of pediatricians—with 17 added since 2019—and deploying specialists to islands without hospitals to prioritize prevention and health literacy.