Health Minister Ana Paula Martins announced that a new regional emergency service (urgência regional) will open in the Setúbal Peninsula on April 15 to improve predictability in care. The announcement followed an incident where a woman gave birth in a hospital parking lot, which the minister cited as evidence that the current model is failing. Martins also admitted that legislative changes are being prepared to reduce waiting times for surgeries, particularly in cardiac specialties.
New regional emergency services to open in Setúbal Peninsula
Monday, 30 March 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.
3 sources
- Minister admits legislative revisions to speed up waiting times but warns that "it will not be possible to solve everything quickly"CNN Portugal ·
- Minister says birth at the doors of Santa Maria proves need for regional emergency servicesCorreio da Manhã ·
- Health Minister admits new ordinances for surgeryObservador ·
