Health Minister Ana Paula Martins rejected claims that a projected 2.68-billion-euro negative balance for the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde) in 2027 constitutes an operational loss, calling it an estimate of funding needs. During parliamentary hearings on the 2027 State Budget (Orçamento do Estado), Martins pointed out that Portugal's foreign resident population grew to 1.6 million by 2025, adding service pressures to public hospitals. The remarks coincide with health data showing hospital surgeries fell by 4.2 percent in early 2026 despite increased state spending.
Health Minister Denies SNS Deficit Represents Financial Loss
Saturday, 31 October 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.
7 sources
- Increase in immigrant population in Portugal "places additional demands on the NHS", says ministerJornal Económico ·
- Minister attributes 2,679 million euro negative balance of the SNS to funding needscmjornal.pt ·
- Minister of Health rejects claims of losses in the NHS and announces the Global Reference Framework will be closed in the coming daysdn.pt ·
- Minister attributes €2.679 billion deficit in SNS to financing needsrtp.pt ·
- Health Minister attributes €2.679 billion negative balance of the NHS to financing needscnnportugal.iol.pt ·
- Government admits need for reinforcements in the NHS, but rejects loss and underbudgeting scenarioexpresso.pt ·
- The NHS is spending more and more, but the care response is not improvingpublico.pt ·
