"The Government of the Republic, namely the prime minister, has assumed the joint participation in the costs of the immediate and future operation at the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo: 85% of the participation, and the respective advance this year, of what is estimated [in relation] to the costs, to be paid by the end of this year", said José Manuel Bolieiro.

The leader of the regional executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM), who was speaking at the solemn session of the Day of the Azores, at the headquarters of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region, in the city of Horta, on the island of Faial, warned that the resumption of the largest health unit in the archipelago, located on the island of São Miguel, "will be slow and gradual, because it has to be safe".

"We all have a great challenge ahead of us: to restore all the health care that the people of São Miguel, in particular, but all the Azoreans, in general, need and that was provided by the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, and to do so in accordance with what the future already requires. I know that we will overcome this challenge", he said.

Bolieiro recalled that in the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 the region was confronted with the resolution of the global crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic and, still in 2022, faced the seismic crisis on the island of São Jorge.

"Now, on the Saturday of the Holy Christ of Miracles [May 4th], we were hit with this further misfortune. We were left without the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo. Once again, we were serene and resilient in action. And we are gradually recovering the provision of health care to those who need it", he stressed.

The head of government said that we are also living, in the international context, a "turbulent era, with wars and consequent economic and financial crises".

"All these setbacks demand from us serenity, consistency in policies, resilience in action, understanding and stability of emotional intelligence, political, governmental and social stability", he admitted.

The fire at the hospital in Ponta Delgada, on May 4th, forced the transfer of all the patients who were hospitalized to various locations in the Azores, Madeira and the mainland, and led to the declaration of a state of public calamity in the archipelago.

The 85% participation in the rehabilitation by the Republic was the value defended by the archipelago's executive, but an accounting of the damage caused by the fire has not yet been released.

On the 13th, the hospital began treatments for some patients in the areas of Oncology and Hemato-oncology.

The celebrations that are taking place today in the city of Horta are a joint organization of the Legislative Assembly and the Azorean Regional Government, following the institution of the Day of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, in 1980, to commemorate the Azorean identity and autonomy.

The date, a regional holiday, is celebrated on the Monday of the Holy Spirit.

At the solemn session, 31 Azorean honorary insignia will be awarded, which aim to distinguish citizens and entities that have distinguished themselves "for personal or institutional merits, civic acts, deeds or services rendered to the region".

Two autonomous insignia of value, ten autonomous insignia of recognition, two of professional merit, three of industrial, commercial and agricultural merit and 14 autonomous insignia of civic merit will be awarded.

[News updated at 13:27]

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