Portugal health centres face closures and service disruptions amid heatwave

The Communist Party’s Coimbra municipal commission has condemned the shutdown of the Souselas Health Centre, now merged into the Eiras centre serving multiple towns. The party warned that elderly residents are especially vulnerable to high temperatures and limited public transport, urging local authorities to maintain active public‑health services.

In Vila Franca de Xira, users of the Gago Coutinho Family Health Unit signed an open letter demanding the rapid reopening of the centre after an air‑conditioning failure made the building unsafe during extreme heat. The local health authority said the unit was temporarily reorganised, with nursing moved to a climate‑controlled area of the Alverca centre and medical appointments shifted to the Vila Franca de Xira hospital, aiming to resume full activity by Friday.

Both incidents highlight concerns over access to primary care in Portugal as heatwaves strain facility infrastructure.