Portugal: €8.4M investment aims to double virus testing capacity nationwide

Portugal will have an extended and strengthened diagnostic network to detect the possible reappearance of Covid-19 and other viruses, in order to react “quickly” to new outbreaks, the government said on Monday.

According to the Secretary of State for Health, António Lacerda Sales, who presented the plan at a press conference in Lisbon, the investment is €8.4 million.

“Portugal is today one of the countries that tests the most per 100,000 inhabitants in Europe,” he said during the usual press conference to update information on Covid-19.

The goal of expanding laboratory capacity is to double the testing capacity to about 22,000 tests per day, he said, noting that currently 10,000 tests are conducted per day at the National Health Service (SNS).

“In Alentejo and Algarve, for example, the forecast is an increase in testing capacity of over 400%,” he stressed.

This plan was approved on August 10, has a funding of €8.4 million provided for in the Economic and Social Stabilization Program with the technical-scientific operation in charge of the National Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA).

The president of INSA, Fernando Almeida, who today participated in the same press conference, defended that the intention is not to make tests without criteria.

“This is not only related to covid. At this point it has to do with the diagnosis of covid cases, but it is an investment that also takes into account all the diagnostic capacity for other emergencies and pathologies that may occur,” he said.

The investment is mainly in the area of infrastructure and equipment.

“All this investment will allow the doubling of the testing capacity and allows us to have a better and greater response in all regions of the country”, he declared.