Regional obstetrics emergency services at hospitals in Barreiro and Vila Franca de Xira will close in mid‑March, with pregnant patients from Barreiro redirected to Hospital Garcia de Orta in Almada and those from Vila Franca sent to Hospital de Loures, RTP reports. Local users and politicians have criticised the decision as political and a strategic error, saying it will lengthen journeys for urgent maternity care. Expect changes to where to go for labour emergencies and check the receiving hospitals’ guidance if you live in those municipalities.

The Lisbon City Council has begun on‑site topographic surveys, geological tests and design work to stabilise a slope in the Graça neighbourhood after a weather‑related landslide, Dinheiro Vivo and RTP report. The council said it is preparing a construction procedure for slope stabilisation and improved drainage and has moved residents while work continues. Residents in Graça should follow the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa (Lisbon City Council) notices and expect site assessments and temporary access restrictions.

Officials reprogrammed part of Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, directing roughly €400 million extra to the health sector while cutting some long‑term care capacity by about 3,500 places, Observador reports. The president of ACSS warned the work has deadlines (completion flagged for end of August) and that reprogramming does not automatically deliver finished projects. The move may speed certain hospital upgrades but could reduce availability in continued‑care settings; residents who use continued care should watch for local service changes. What is the PRR? (Recovery and Resilience Plan) is relevant here: Recovery and Resilience Plan (Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência).

Update: Continued-care pilot projects extended in six units

Authorities extended pilot projects in six Local Health Units that were set to run for nine months; the pilots test a new organisational and functional model for Continued Care Teams, giving more time to evaluate whether the model mitigates the cuts in long‑term care capacity.

A union has publicly accused Ana Paula Martins of making a 'manifestly false statement' during a parliamentary hearing; the minister defended herself, saying she relayed the information she had been given, CNN Portugal and Expresso report. The dispute centres on the accuracy of information presented to MPs and has prompted strong language from union leaders. The incident could heighten scrutiny of ministry briefings and parliamentary exchanges; those following health‑sector policy should watch for formal replies or records of the hearing.

The Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) announced it will permit renewal steps for residence permits that expire in May or June, easing timing pressures for holders, Público reports. The measure aims to speed processing for a wave of expiries; the agency’s website will have the specific instructions and required documentation. Visa holders and residents with permits due to run out in those months should check AIMA’s online guidance and prepare renewal paperwork.

The Liberal Initiative (IL) president, Mariana Leitão, will present a policy document titled 'Lift Portugal — Build Now, Conquer the Future' to the Prime Minister proposing tax incentives, structural reforms and a Revised Budget, Diário de Notícias reports. The proposals aim to reshape fiscal policy and state reform, though they will face political negotiation in the coming weeks. Taxpayers and business owners should watch whether any elements move into draft legislation or the budget process.

Portugal's new waiting‑list management system for the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) will go live on 1 August, outlets report. The rollout aims to centralise how hospitals record and prioritise patients on surgical and specialty waiting lists; officials say the change is intended to improve tracking and reduce delays. The move should eventually change how appointments and expected wait times are communicated, so those on specialist lists or awaiting procedures should watch for new correspondence from their hospital or health centre.

Ana Abrunhosa, president of the Coimbra Municipal Chamber, publicly reprimanded the Minister of Agriculture and the Sea, José Manuel Fernandes, after he spoke to journalists at a flood site before meeting local mayors, multiple outlets report. The confrontation came during a visit to works on the dyke of the Mondego River, with Abrunhosa saying ministers should speak to local authorities first. The episode highlights local frustration with the central government's handling of flood response and coordination with municipalities. Coimbra residents and those in affected towns should follow municipal civil protection updates and local council communications.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera or IPMA) says rainfall in the first 15 days of February made this month the wettest in 47 years in many areas, with totals about three times the 1991–2020 average. January was also unusually wet, and while drier weather is forecast for the end of winter, authorities and drivers should expect local flooding and transport disruption where soils are saturated. Those with property in flood‑prone areas or plans to travel regionally should check local civil protection notices and weather updates.

Endesa told the press that the Girabolhos dam (barragem de Girabolhos) project was cancelled by the Portuguese Government in 2016 after the company had already invested around €90 million, and the firm said it may consider reapplying to build it. Reports differ slightly on whether the suspension agreement was reached in 2016 or 2017, but Endesa's chief executive made clear the company considers the cancellation a government decision. Landowners, local communities and energy stakeholders in the affected region should follow any follow‑up filings or licence applications from Endesa.

The Public Prosecutor's Office (Procuradoria‑Geral da República or PGR) is proposing specialised 'super teams' of prosecutors to tackle fraud in the National Health Service, aiming to have them in place by September under a national 2026–2028 strategy, ECO and other outlets report. The teams would sit in regional departments of investigation and criminal action and focus on the technical complexity of health‑sector fraud. The plan could speed investigations into suspicious billing or procurement practices, with potential consequences for private contractors and public providers found to have engaged in fraud. Those relying on public healthcare should note possible future investigations affecting local providers.

André Ventura of Chega said he will press the government to ensure lay‑off payments linked to the recent bad weather are paid at 100%, and his party has asked parliament for an assessment of the budgetary impact, ECO reports. Ventura spoke at a press conference at party headquarters, framing the demand as protection for workers affected by storm damage. The demand could put pressure on ministers and influence any emergency support rules; employers and affected workers should follow parliamentary debate for any new measures. Workers affected by weather layoffs should monitor official announcements and union guidance.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, said on 24 February that repair works on the A1 motorway in the Coimbra area will be “100% completed” by the end of the week and that four‑lane traffic will be restored. The ministry has already authorised conditional reopening of one lane in a phased manner. Drivers who use the A1 between Coimbra and Coimbra Sul should expect normal traffic to resume soon but check live traffic updates while the final works are completed.

Ana Paula Martins, the Minister of Health, told parliament that about 36% of patients awaiting cardiac surgery are operated on outside the legally guaranteed maximum response time, and she said the government will consider adding more reference centres if experts back them. The statement follows a letter from cardiac surgery directors at four northern hospitals warning of growing backlogs; meetings with centres in Lisbon, Coimbra and the North are scheduled. Patients awaiting cardiac procedures and those referred for specialist care should expect follow‑ups from hospitals about treatment timelines.