Sintra provides ‘social taxis’ to people in need

This is part of an agreement between the Municipality and Volunteer Firefighters organizations

On 5 May, the official website of Sintra announced that the Portuguese Municipality had renewed its agreements with the two Humanitarian Associations of Voluntary Firefighters of Queluz and Belas as part of the ‘Táxi Social’ programme. This initiative is specifically aimed at seniors and economically disadvantaged people with the purpose of providing them with reliable transportation to medical centres for their non-emergency health needs, such as regular check-ups.

One could think of this service as a type of non-emergency ambulances

The two protocols that were signed provide for the disbursement of 10 000 euros from the municipal budget.

The program consists of the adequate, safe and free transportation of the senior and economically deprived population, carried out by entities licensed for the purpose, allowing the non-urgent transport of the people to health establishments and services. This is designed to facilitate the access of these segments of the population to consultations, hospitalizations or complementary diagnostic and therapeutic tests.

For Basílio Horta, the Mayor of Sintra, "this is a way to support our seniors by improving their lifestyle and fighting social isolation, at a time when it is necessary to continue to be especially attentive to the most vulnerable".

The Social Taxi does not cover the urgent transport of patients and does not apply to consultations and other primary health care performed at the local Health Centers and Health Extensions. This service is limited to a maximum number of twelve (12) trips (round trip) per year / per user. In a way, one can think of it as the provision of non-emergency ambulances.