Edi Gomes, HR director at INEM, testified before a parliamentary inquiry committee, revealing that staff had already surpassed their overtime limits prior to the 2024 strike, while former officials criticized the lack of political accountability regarding the crisis.
INEM professionals had already exceeded overtime hours before the strike, says human resources director
Thursday, 12 March 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
Minimum services (serviços mínimos) are the legally required basic services that must be maintained during a strike to protect public safety—in healthcare this typically covers emergency care, critical ambulance coverage and intensive care. They matter because the INEM workers' committee admitted that late or unclear communication about which teams would be available during the end-of-2024 strike may have reduced operational capacity and confused patients; as an expat, expect limited non-urgent care during strikes and check official updates or call 112 for true emergencies.
Fernando Araújo is a physician and the former Executive Director of the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS), a position he held until mid-2024. He was responsible for the Local Health Units (Unidades Locais de Saúde) reform, which integrated hospital and primary care services to improve efficiency. SNS patients should note that his public criticisms often highlight ongoing issues with emergency room wait times and medical staffing.
AI Summary AvailableINEM staff exceeded overtime limits before 2024 strikeRead the synthesized summary with context and explainers
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