PS to summon Portugal's health minister over deaths at Portimão hospital

The Algarve health authority's denial

The Unidade Local de Saúde (ULS) do Algarve rejected, in a statement issued on Sunday, 8 November, the claim that a child died for lack of transport and assistance at Portimão Hospital. The authority rejected that allegation vehemently. CNN Portugal reported that a child with irreversible damage died on 22 October but received full care, including from a pediatrician.

Carneiro's accusations

José Luís Carneiro, secretary-general of the Socialist Party (PS), said two people had died for lack of medical assistance in the emergency room of Portimão Hospital. He added that he had been told another death, of a child, may have occurred in October, linked to a lack of response at the hospital and on the transport to Faro. Carneiro said he had asked the prime minister on Saturday, 7 November, whether the government was monitoring the situation at the hospital.

“Two people died for lack of medical assistance in the emergency room of Portimão Hospital.”

Carneiro also said Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has a duty to explain publicly what happened and what the government plans to do for Algarve residents who cannot get answers from the health service.

The emergency room timeline and the hearing request

The reports also describe a separate case in which an 87-year-old man arrived at the emergency room around 17:00 on Tuesday, 3 November, complaining of vomiting. He died in the early hours of Wednesday, 4 November, after waiting about 10 hours. The sequence of reported events is shown below.

The PS says it will call Health Minister Ana Paula Martins to the Assembleia da República as a matter of urgency so she can answer deputies' questions. Carneiro said the party wants the government to explain what it intends to do to meet the serious health needs emerging in Portimão.