This gathering was the final protest of a week of action by the Movement of Public Service Users, which is demanding increased investment in the National Health Service (SNS).
Fifty people demonstrated in front of the Ministry of Health for the continuation of obstetric emergency services
Saturday, 11 April 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital (Maternidade Alfredo da Costa, commonly known as MAC) is Lisbon's principal public maternity facility and one of the busiest maternity units in Portugal's National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde).
Located in central Lisbon, the MAC is a referral center for high-risk pregnancies and complex neonatal care. It handles a large volume of births annually and serves as a teaching hospital affiliated with Lisbon's medical schools.
The MAC has been at the center of recurring debates about maternity ward closures and staffing shortages across Portugal's public health system. Expectant parents in the Lisbon area may be referred to the MAC for specialist care or diverted there when other maternity units temporarily close due to staff shortages.
AI Summary AvailableProtest held for obstetric emergency servicesRead the synthesized summary with context and explainers
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