Portugal's health minister faces resignation calls over Portimão deaths

Deaths in the Portimão emergency department

The Bloco de Esquerda's Algarve branch says two elderly patients died in the emergency department of Portimão Hospital while waiting to be seen, and that two other cases, one involving a child, are under investigation. Its regional coordinating committee asked on 13 November for the health minister, Ana Paula Martins, to resign. The party argues that services at Portimão and Faro have been hit by a deterioration of the National Health Service in the Algarve, which it ties to the creation of the Algarve local health unit (ULS). That unit brings together the hospitals of Faro, Portimão and Lagos, and the party says it serves about half a million residents, with more than 20,000 users lacking a family doctor.

The party's statement made its demand in direct terms:

“The resignation of the health minister is demanded in view of the deaths that occurred at Portimão Hospital.”

The party called the situation a 'real tragedy' and accused the government and the minister of knowing about the 'chaos' at Portimão Hospital without acting.

Dismissals across three health units

The presidents of the Algarve and Aveiro health units were dismissed within a 24-hour window. Tiago Botelho, who led the Algarve ULS, was removed after problems in Portimão's emergency unit, where several deaths are under investigation. He had been chosen in October 2024 to replace João Ferreira, who was dismissed by email a few hours before completing one year in the post. The minister said Botelho already knew about the department's problems and had been warned that they needed to be resolved.

In Aveiro, the health unit president was dismissed after being detained by the Judicial Police in an investigation into suspected corruption and other crimes. In the Tâmega e Sousa unit, the president remains in post even though he has been accused of several crimes linked to his time as a mayor. The Socialist Party noted that several of the removed officials had been chosen by the ministry itself, and that the government has changed two-thirds of the country's hospital administrations in just over two years. Several of the officials have ties to the PSD.

The minister's position

Ana Paula Martins has remained in office. In a 26 February 2025 interview with Antena 1, she said:

“Whatever goes wrong can only be attributed to me.”

That remark has returned to attention as opposition figures ask when the minister will assume her responsibilities. The PS, Livre and the Bloco de Esquerda have called for her to leave. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's government has kept its confidence in the minister, while pressure is also growing inside the PSD.

Open questions

The debate has moved beyond the minister's own future to how health unit leaders are chosen. A TSF forum asks whether such appointments should be depoliticised and governed by stricter technical criteria. The three cases raise questions about the criteria used to choose and reappoint unit leaders, and about the political responsibility of those who make the appointments. The Portimão cases remain under investigation, and the Aveiro corruption investigation is still open.