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Algarve lacks rheumatologists
More than three million Portuguese suffer from rheumatic disorders, but a lack of local specialists means patients often have to travel long distances for treatment.
Edition 711 (12 Jan 2012), 
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The logistic headache has been highlighted by Luís Maurício, president of the Portuguese rheumatology society. Taking data from the central health service adminstration, he claims Faro and Évora have “only one rheumatologist”.
In other words, there’s only one specialist for the whole Algarve. The same problem exists in Braga, Tomar, Guarda and Vila da Feira – all of which have to share one specialist, and lots of problems.
But despite this lack of specialists, Maurício fears there may soon be young rheumatologists with no hospitals to go to – as a result of the government’s freezing of civil service work contracts.
