Portugal’s emergency medical service INEM (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica) recorded a historic high of about 1.6 million answered emergency calls in 2025, according to multiple outlets. Reports present this as a workload peak that may reflect broader pressure on ambulance and pre-hospital services. SNS patients and those relying on emergency response should note the increased demand could lengthen response times; register with local health services and review local emergency procedures where possible. Those relying on emergency services should be aware of potential delays and check local municipal or INEM guidance.
INEM handled record 1.6 million emergency calls
Wednesday, 14 January 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
The National Institute of Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica), known as INEM, coordinates Portugal’s pre-hospital emergency care, ambulance dispatch and medical response to 112 calls. It matters to expats because INEM is responsible for ambulance response times and on-scene care — incidents like the reported three-hour wait in Seixal can trigger investigations, affect public confidence and influence how quickly you can expect help in an emergency.