Ana Paula Martins
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- 3d ago
Portugal orders internal emergency doctors to back external emergency rooms under pressure
A health ministry dispatch published on Thursday, 22 October, requires doctors in hospital internal emergency units to help external emergency departments during surges in demand, staff shortfalls or rising waiting times. The rule takes effect on Friday, 23 October.
- 6d ago
Portugal's national health system goes down, blocking prescriptions and patient records
The outage began around 10:00 on Monday, 19 October 2026, and Fnam says thousands of patients were left without consultations and medicines. SPMS blamed problems at its data centre, and some systems were back by 12:00.
- Oct 3
Portugal and contract doctors reach partial alignment on integration but stall on pay
Talks between Portuguese Health Minister Ana Paula Martins and the Association of Service-Providing Doctors ended on 2 October 2026 without a fee agreement, raising concerns over emergency room staffing ahead of an upcoming decree on hourly rates.
- Sep 24
Portugal outlines UN Security Council priorities and seeks broader representation
Speaking at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro urged Security Council expansion and called for an end to the humanitarian tragedy in the Middle East.
- Aug 27
Portuguese paramedic union maintains September strike dates after INEM talks stall
Negotiations between Portugal's Health Ministry, INEM leadership, and the STEPH union ended without an agreement, keeping 24-hour strikes scheduled for 14 and 28 September.
- Aug 15
Hospital de Faro shows 16-hour emergency wait; Algarve health chief blames system errors
The SNS portal showed urgent patients at Hospital de Faro waiting nearly 16 hours on 15 August, but the head of ULS Algarve blamed Alert system errors for inflated figures and rejected the data as false.
- Aug 4
Portugal's health minister backs fee for patients who refuse continuing care beds, sector says it won't work
Health Minister Ana Paula Martins said the government is weighing a progressive weekly fee on hospital patients who, after clinical discharge, refuse a place in the national continuing care network, a proposal from the National Ethics Council aimed at clearing over 3,500 delayed discharges.
- Jul 27
INEM workers denounce removal of 100 ambulances and threaten August strike as new law looms
INEM plans to transfer 54 emergency ambulances to local health units and convert 46 SIV vehicles into light cars, removing 100 vehicles from its own fleet. Workers warn of a strike in August and demand the health minister intervene before the new organic law takes effect on 1 August.
- Jul 9
Livre, PCP, and Bloc force parliamentary debate on new INEM law following President's promulgation
Three Portuguese left-wing parties are triggering a parliamentary review of the newly enacted organic law for the National Institute of Medical Emergency, citing lack of transparency and worker involvement.
- Jul 8
Portugal's president enacts higher education overhaul and emergency medical reform, greenlights Porto technical university
President António José Seguro signed into law a new legal framework for higher education and a restructured emergency medical institute, alongside decrees creating the Technical University of Porto and integrating a hotel school into Nova University.
- May 28
Western Europe swelters under record-breaking May heatwave as Italy declares red alert and France faces political backlash
A precocious 'heat dome' from North Africa has shattered May temperature records in Portugal and France, prompting Italy to issue its highest-level red alert for Rome and four other cities.
