"António Gandra d'Almeida has a resume that speaks for itself. He is a military doctor, a man who is very used to organization and to operations in the field, and he has also worked in medical emergencies", said Ana Paula Martins this morning to journalists after a visit to the Algueirão-Mem Martins Health Center. The minister also highlighted that António Gandra d'Almeida has been on international missions in very adverse conditions. "He naturally has the capacity to bring together around him not only a team that will be presented soon with various origins, but he also has a vision for the NHS that fulfills what the NHS statute defines for the executive management, which is basically to guarantee coordination, to enhance the capacity of the NHS and its health units to work in a network. This is one of the greatest virtues of this resume", she stressed. The Ministry of Health announced today that it chose the doctor António Gandra d'Almeida to replace Fernando Araújo as executive director of the NHS and added that the lieutenant colonel has vast experience in medical emergencies. Fernando Araújo is being heard today in parliament to explain the reasons for his resignation in April. The resigning director of the NHS Executive Management stated today that the activity report requested by the ministry was carried out in half the time, to allow for the execution of the measures considered necessary. The Minister of Health also thanked the performance of the former executive director of the NHS. "We are very grateful to Dr. Fernando Araújo who made the decision to leave the executive management of the NHS. We have always respected this decision. He submitted the report yesterday [Tuesday] that we will analyze more carefully. We are grateful for the work he did in the NHS and that he will continue to do because he is a doctor in the NHS", she stated. Ana Paula Martins stressed that Fernando Araújo fulfilled his mission and understood that it had ended and let the Government choose. "We opted for what in our perspective should be the next executive management. (...). We understand that the team chosen by him is a team that has various skills, with a lot of experience and that seems to us that it can give an operational response that is very connected to the field, of talking to the professionals and helping them to have the necessary tools, not only to give a better response, but also to be able to work in a network", she indicated. Regarding the visit to the Algueirão-Mem Martins Health Center, the Minister of Health highlighted that this infrastructure is one of the best in the country. "Today we are here because this Government values general and family medicine in an absolutely crucial way (...). Many things are done here, there are various health promotion and disease prevention projects. This is a determining line for the future of the NHS", she emphasized. Ana Paula Martins also guaranteed that the Government "will continue in the emergency and structural plan, to invest a lot in general and family medicine". [Updated news at 10:58 am] Read Also: António Gandra d'Almeida chosen as executive director of the NHS (Portuguese version)