The proposed Regional Budget for next year, amounting to approximately 2.3 billion euros, was presented yesterday by the Regional Secretary of Finance. Duarte Freitas, speaking to journalists, outlined the main lines of investment and expenditure that Madeira has planned for 2026.
Far from pleasing all political factions and all Madeirans, this budget proposal has already garnered some criticism and praise. Citizens, through various means, have also voiced their opinions, criticisms, or complaints, some more justified than others.
DIÁRIO also received several messages reinforcing the desire of Madeirans to express their opinions. One of our readers focused on the money allocated for the purchase of medicines, noting that “there is no shortage of money for golf,” alluding to the investments planned for Ponta do Pargo or the funds to be allocated to studies necessary for a future project in Faial, “but then they cut the money for medicines at SESARAM.”
In today’s edition, we will try to assess the claim that funding for medicines in the Regional Health Service is decreasing.
It is not our objective, in this space, to dwell on the issue of investment destined for golf or projects related to it, therefore, our focus, for now, is to try to understand, based on the proposed Regional Budget for 2026, what funds are planned to be allocated to the purchase of medicines by the Regional Government, through SESARAM, next year, comparing these amounts with the values duly mentioned in this year’s Budget.
This analysis does not intend, in any way, to suggest any possible decrease in the acquisition of medicines, nor to argue that a shortage of medicines may or may not occur in the coming year. Such considerations have no place in this work, nor should they be taken as inferences to be drawn from the reported facts.
In this context, however, we cannot ignore Miguel Albuquerque’s recent statements regarding the funds allocated to health and its management. During the inauguration of the improvement works at the Estreito de Câmara de Lobos Basic School (2nd and 3rd cycles) on November 12th, the President of the Regional Government stated that it was necessary to cut spending on health, citing as an example medicines which, despite being subsidized by the Regional Budget, end up being thrown away.
On that occasion, the leader of the Madeiran Executive stated that “oncological drugs have increased by 170% in the last seven years; normal drugs have increased by 70%. I used to spend 95 million euros on medicines and now I spend 130 million. But, meanwhile, they throw away 19 tons of medicines, many of which they don’t even use, even though they are subsidized.”
But let’s look at the numbers.
In the proposed Regional Budget for 2026, the Madeira Executive indicates an estimated expenditure of 163 million euros for the component ‘Medicines, clinical material and current goods and services in Health’. In this year’s Budget, the expenditure indicated for the same item was 180.1 million euros. We therefore have a reduction of approximately 17 million euros.
Regarding the funds to be transferred to SESARAM through the Institute of Health Administration (IASAÚDE), the Regional Government also anticipates a decrease in the amounts. Next year, of the €472 million allocated to IASAÚDE, €403.8 million will go to SESARAM. This year, the budget proposal included €509.8 million for that Institute, of which €500 million would go to SESARAM. A reduction of approximately €96.2 million is expected.
It can therefore be concluded that both the expenditure projected for 2026 on ‘Medicines, clinical materials and current goods and services in Health’, and the funds to be transferred to SESARAM, which may include the money to be allocated to the purchase of medicines, suffer a decrease when compared with the same items in the current year’s budget.
In this regard, regarding reader Jorge M’s statement about the reduction in funding for medicines next year, we must consider it true.
