The president of the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM), Luís Mendes Cabral, has acknowledged that over 26,000 critical patients did not receive adequate emergency support in 2025. Cabral attributed these failures to years of underinvestment and stagnation, promising urgent improvements by the end of the year, including the acquisition of 1,400 monitors for ambulances. While the Order of Nurses (Ordem dos Enfermeiros or OE) has expressed support for the new operational model, some technician unions continue to voice concerns regarding clinical impact.
INEM president addresses critical care failures and resource shortages
Thursday, 20 August 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
INEM (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica) is Portugal's national emergency medical service, responsible for coordinating and providing pre-hospital emergency care. It operates the country's emergency medical dispatch system, activated through the European emergency number 112.
INEM deploys ambulances (including basic and advanced life support units), medical helicopters (VMER), and motorcycle response units across Portugal. It also manages the CODU (Centro de Orientação de Doentes Urgentes) — the emergency call centers that triage incoming 112 calls and dispatch the appropriate medical response.
INEM has faced persistent challenges including ambulance shortages, staffing gaps (particularly among emergency medical technicians), and long response times in rural areas. These issues have made INEM a frequent subject of political debate, with calls for better funding, improved working conditions, and expanded coverage. Residents should know that calling 112 connects to INEM's triage system, and knowing your exact location speeds up emergency response.
Luís Cabral is the president of INEM (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica), the agency that coordinates Portugal’s pre‑hospital emergency services and medical dispatch for 112 calls. In the recent story he said delays were caused by stretchers being held up in hospitals, which can tie up ambulances and reduce the system’s ability to respond to new emergencies.
6 sources
- INEM shows pressure, but fails on clinical impact, says ANTEMobservador.pt ·
- Over 26,000 critical patients did not receive adequate care in 2005. "We must make a very rapid adjustment," says INEM presidentdn.pt ·
- Problems at INEM. President of the institute blames "years of stagnation" and underinvestmentrtp.pt ·
- INEM: more than 26,000 critical patients without adequate resources in 2025, president promises changes “by the end of the year”expresso.pt ·
- Portuguese Nursing Council rejects new INEM model claimsThe Portugal News ·
- Is the appointment of INEM doctors to regional services illegal? "There is a desperate attempt to create fake news"cnnportugal.iol.pt ·
