Around 3,000 people in Madeira are waiting for dermatology consultations, with fewer than 500 of those cases considered urgent. Tiago Esteves, Director Dermatology SESARAM, said the shortage reflects major difficulties in training and recruiting dermatologists, alongside a growing need for care. He added that skin diseases and skin cancer are becoming more common, and that this is a national problem, not only a regional one. According to Tiago Esteves, the incidence of skin cancer in Portugal is increasing by around 6% every year. Doctors also expect melanoma diagnoses in Madeira to rise beyond the usual 30 cases per year and approach nearly 40 during 2025. RTP Madeira reported that 50 patients were contacted for a skin cancer screening campaign, where residents highlighted the importance of prevention and sunscreen use. Specialists are also concerned that melanoma is being diagnosed earlier, with cases appearing among people aged 20 or 30, and they urged the public to watch for suspicious lesions using the ABCDE rule.
