The Workers' Commission of the National Institute of Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica or INEM) has denounced technical failures in the new OnCall computer system used by Urgent Patient Guidance Centres (Centros de Orientação de Doentes Urgentes or CODU). Staff warn that these glitches pose risks to the dispatching of emergency resources and have demanded immediate clarifications from the institute's board of directors. Additionally, the Ministry of Health is currently transitioning INEM toward a new training model that requires internationally recognized certifications for emergency professionals.
Workers' Commission reports failures in new INEM system
Saturday, 18 July 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
Minimum services (serviços mínimos) are the legally required basic services that must be maintained during a strike to protect public safety—in healthcare this typically covers emergency care, critical ambulance coverage and intensive care. They matter because the INEM workers' committee admitted that late or unclear communication about which teams would be available during the end-of-2024 strike may have reduced operational capacity and confused patients; as an expat, expect limited non-urgent care during strikes and check official updates or call 112 for true emergencies.
The CODU (Centro de Orientação de Doentes Urgentes) is the emergency medical dispatch center responsible for coordinating urgent pre-hospital care in Portugal. It operates under the National Institute of Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica or INEM) to assess medical emergencies and dispatch the appropriate resources, such as ambulances or helicopters.
