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.
Health minister flags 36% delay in cardiac surgery
Tuesday, 24 February 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
Ana Paula Martins is a Portuguese pharmacist and politician who has served as the Minister of Health in Portugal since April 2024. A member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), she was reappointed to the position in the second government of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in June 2025.
Professional Background
Pharmaceutical Leadership: She served as the President of the Order of Pharmacists (Bastonária da Ordem dos Farmacêuticos) from 2016 to 2022.
Hospital Management: She was the President of the Board of Directors of Hospital de Santa Maria (CHULN) in Lisbon from December 2022 to January 2024.
Academic Work: She holds a PhD in Clinical Pharmacy and has been an assistant professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon for over 20 years.
Political Career
Government Role: As Minister of Health, she has overseen the implementation of the "SNS Emergency Plan" and recently addressed issues such as INEM staffing and public-private partnerships in healthcare.
Party Leadership: She served as Vice President of the PSD under Rui Rio (2021–2022).
Parliament: She was elected as a member of the Assembly of the Republic representing the Lisbon constituency in 2024.
The guaranteed maximum response time (Prazo Máximo de Resposta Garantido) is the legally set limit for how long patients should wait for specific medical appointments, tests or treatments under Portugal's health system. It is used to monitor access to care and has political weight after Health Minister Ana Paula Martins said on Feb 24, 2026 that cardiology patients were waiting longer than the recommended times.
