Ronaldo financing Portuguese hospitals

Portugal (Agencies): Cristiano Ronaldo has stepped in to help amid the coronavirus pandemic by combining with his agent to finance hospitals in Portugal.

Ronaldo and agent Jorge Mendes will fund North Lisbon’s University Hospital Centre (CHULN) with two intensive care wings and an intensive care wing in Porto’s Santo Antonio hospital, which is part of Porto’s University Hospital Centre.

The CHULN, which includes Santa Maria and Pulido Valente hospitals, confirmed to ESPN that the two new intensive care wings will carry the names of the two football personalities.

“Businessman Jorge Mendes and Cristiano Ronaldo will donate two intensive care wings for the CHULN, each wing will be totally equipped and will have the capacity for 10 beds,” CHULN told ESPN.

“The units will be equipped with the charitable contribution of Mendes and Ronaldo. This equipment includes beds, ventilators, heart monitors, pumps and infusion syringes, essential equipment in the care of critically ill patients with COVID-19.

“These units, called UCI Jorge Mendes and UCI Cristiano Ronaldo, after the COVID-19 Plan [pandemic is over] will be converted and will remain as a reinforcement of Intensive Care Medicine, which had 31 beds before the new coronavirus pandemic, increasing its capacity to 51 beds.”

Meanwhile, the wing at the CHUP will allow for the opening of 15 intensive care beds, fully equipped.

As of March 24, Portugal had 2,060 confirmed coronavirus cases with 23 deaths. Portugal declared a state of emergency last Thursday.

Ronaldo, whose Juventus teammates Paulo Dybala, Blaise Matuidi and Daniele Rugani have tested positive for coronavirus, has been in quarantine in his native Madeira.

The Portugal captain has been active on social media, reminding fans to follow the advice of the World Health Organisation while also highlighting the importance of following authorities regarding confinement.