Academic Background: Degree in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon; MSc and PhD in Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Public Health, University of Texas, USA. Aggregation in Health Policy, by the National School of Public Health, U. Nova de Lisboa. He was a full professor at the same institution.  

Professional Career 

End of the 60's - Was a rural doctor and health delegate in Mozambique. Was part of the team that founded and directed the first academic health center in the then city of Lourença Marques.  

Second half of the 70's - Directed the Sofia Abecassis health center in Lisbon (pilot health center, in an urban environment).  

Mid 80's - As Academic Director, was part of the team that created the Andalusian School of Public Health in Granada (Spain).   

More recent positions: Was Director for Health Policies and Services at WHO/Europe, in Copenhagen; Chairman of the Board of Directors of ARS of Lisbon and Tagus Valley; Director-General of Health of Portugal; First coordinator of the Portuguese Observatory of Health Systems; President of the European Public Health Association; Director of the National School of Public Health; First President of the "Fundação para a Saúde - SNS"; President of the General Council of the University of Évora;  

Main distinctions: The Baxter Award 1999 (European Health Care Management Association) "for an outstanding publication contributing to excellence in health care management in Europe"; Honorary Distinction 2004 (Greek Association of General Practitioners) "for his contribution to the development of Primary Health Care and General Practice in Greece"; Gold Medal for Distinguished Services, 2006, by the Portuguese Ministry of Health; First Honorary Member, 2011, of the Association of Family Health Units of Portugal; Presenter of Dr. António Arnaut, for the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa, by the University of Coimbra (2014); National Health Award, Portugal (2019); 

Currently (2023): Professor Jubilado of ENSP-UNL. He is part of the team that directs the project "Safeguarding and Transforming the NHS - General States" of the "Foundation for Health - NHS"; He is consultant of the EU Economic and Social Committee (April to July 2023) for the assessment by this consultative body of the "European Union Strategy for Global Health", proposed by the European Commission.