Lisbon, Sep 11 (Inforpress) – The Minister of Family, Inclusion and Social Development, Fernando Elísio Freire, revealed today that Cabo Verde has spent almost one million escudos per year on transferring patients abroad.
The government official revealed this amount when presiding over the opening of the new service counter of the National Institute of Social Security (INPS), in Lisbon, stating that the State of Cape Verde sees medical transfers as a “medical act and not a cost”, enabling all Cape Verdean citizens to have access to healthcare.
“”Cape Verde spends almost one million escudos a year on evacuations of the contributory system, represented by the INPS, and the non-contributory system, represented by the National Centre for Social Benefits [CNPS], in other words, more than 10 million euros, which is used to care of Cape Verdean citizens abroad who are seeking their health,” he said.
According to Fernando Elísio Freire, these almost 10 million euros have evolved in recent years, because currently, of the non-contributory regime, there are around 600 people transferred, plus 300 companions, and from the contributory regime, almost a thousand Cape Verdeans, making up a total of almost two thousand citizens who are looking for their health outside Cabo Verde, as a result of cooperation between the Country and the Portuguese State.
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