PSD Madeira said this afternoon that Madeirans must have the same access to medicines as citizens living in mainland Portugal, highlighting persistent problems in supplying pharmaceuticals to the Autonomous Region. At an event at the Farmácia de Santo António, Deputy Joana Silva said that fair access to medicine is essential to protect health, which she described as a fundamental right of all Portuguese people. She added that the State has a duty to adopt the measures needed to ensure medicine is available throughout the entire national territory. In a press release, she explained that the PSD legislative initiative is intended to reinforce the current legal framework and uphold continuity so Madeirans are treated the same as Portuguese residents on the mainland. Joana Silva also noted that healthcare costs in Madeira are 30% higher and argued that medicines for the region should be prioritised in air cargo transport. She said that reliance on maritime and air transport continues to create difficulties for Madeirans, especially when disruptions affect deliveries. The proposal, she concluded, aims to make the legal guarantee of equal access to medicines a reality for all Portuguese citizens.
