PS requests documentation for INEM ambulance tender
The Socialists, who describe the announcement of the purchase of INEM ambulances as “misleading” and “a sign of this government's inaction”, justify their request for the documents by citing the “urgency of obtaining answers”.
Socialist Party requests all documentation on INEM ambulance procurement tender
The Socialist Party parliamentary group wants access to all documents relating to the procurement process for ambulances for INEM, citing the “opacity of the information shared”, according to a motion submitted today.
I regret that the Firefighters' League, INEM and Civil Protection did not sit down together and draw up a plan
Commander Paulo Santos also says that the volunteer firefighters “gave a sign that, when they want, things get done”.
Support task force for INEM: 'If there are doubts about legality, then legal means should be sought'
Health policy expert Rui Nunes believes Portugal has 'a good health system and excellent professionals', but that 'care integration and coordination simply do not work'. Regarding doubts raised by Civil Protection about the 'legality' of the support task force for INEM carried out by the firefighters, he says it is not 'appropriate to call into question an attempt at a solution to save lives'.
Inside the heart of INEM: this is how medical emergencies are handled
CNN Portugal spent time inside CODU, INEM’s medical call centre in Lisbon and found a centre under sustained pressure where high call volumes demand rapid, accurate triage and careful deployment of ambulances and other rescue resources. The report examines how operators prioritise calls, the protocols guiding decision-making, and the operational strain of matching limited resources to urgent needs.
"It no longer makes sense for this Government to apologise for what existed before" and "the bare minimum" was the minister's message to the Portuguese
Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles criticises Ana Paula Martins's stance following three deaths in less than 48 hours after delays in emergency response. “It is astonishing that this minister does not give an explanation to the Portuguese after what has happened in recent days, especially after saying she would dedicate more than half of her time to INEM,” emphasises the CNN Portugal commentator.
"It's not worth asking Ana Paula Martins" because "we don't have a Health Minister"
Filipe Santos Costa also criticises the Government's lack of proactivity in the health sector and its inability to resolve problems in light of recent controversies involving INEM and the deaths of three people in less than two days. Regarding Luís Montenegro's announcement about the purchase of 275 new vehicles for the emergency service, the CNN Portugal commentator points out that the ambulances “have been planned since 2023 and will arrive when they were due to arrive”, so “there is no decision here”.
10pm — President seeks quick explanations over three deaths left without INEM assistance
At 22:00, the President of the Republic requested rapid clarification about three fatalities in which Portugal’s national emergency medical service (INEM) did not provide aid; authorities are expected to explain what occurred.
Montenegro backs minister in debate centred on health problems
The first fortnightly debate in Parliament of 2026 took place this Thursday, with the SNS (National Health Service) and the Health Minister in the spotlight. The opposition questioned the Government about deaths allegedly linked to delays at INEM (the national emergency medical service). Luís Montenegro refused to let the minister fall and assumed political responsibility.
After three deaths due to lack of emergency assistance, Montenegro says the health system 'responds more quickly than a year ago'
The Prime Minister says the Minister of Health will remain in post and announces 'the largest investment in the last decade' for INEM (National Institute of Medical Emergency). He also insists: 'It is incorrect to say that the SNS (Portugal's National Health Service) is collapsing.'
18:00 — Montenegro announces 275 new vehicles for INEM
At 18:00, Montenegro announced that 275 new vehicles will be provided to INEM (Portugal's National Institute of Medical Emergency) to strengthen emergency response capacity.
During the sector strike, on average a call to the INEM took 28 minutes to be answered. This is not possible
Catarina Guerreiro, executive editor of CNN Portugal, stresses that “it became clear in all the reports [carried out by IGAS] that there are delays in emergency medical services” in Portugal.
INEM workers blame the retention of stretchers at hospitals for failures in emergency response
A man died in Seixal after waiting three hours for emergency services that should have arrived within one hour.
Presidential debate: who shone and who got tarnished?
A spat over “facilitism” between Marques Mendes and Gouveia e Melo; Seguro and Cotrim in a “white” suit with no trace of mud; Ventura putting on a “show”. And also the INEM case, involving problems with stretchers.
PCP and Chega want to question the Health Minister. BE calls for resignation
Parliamentary parties reacted to the death of a man in Seixal and asked the Health Minister for explanations. Chega also wants to question the SNS executive director and the president of INEM.
"The new system is running exactly as expected. It did not fail," says the president of INEM
The president of INEM said that 'the system did not fail' in the case of the elderly man in Seixal who died while waiting for assistance, and that the new system 'did not influence' the dispatch of resources because INEM activated the response within 15 minutes but there were no ambulances available on the south bank to respond.
The firefighters closest to the patient who died in Seixal were contacted by CODU at 13:15
A man died on Tuesday in Seixal after nearly three hours waiting for assistance from INEM.
"The system did not fail" — INEM president denies that the death of a man in Seixal was linked to triage
INEM president Luís Mendes Cabral said on Wednesday that the new triage system was not a factor in the death of the 78-year-old man who waited almost three hours for emergency assistance to arrive.
Man dies in Seixal after nearly three hours waiting for the Portuguese emergency medical service (INEM)
The Union of Pre‑Hospital Emergency Technicians said the new triage system may have influenced the outcome.
Delay in INEM emergency response results in death in Seixal
A delay by the Portuguese National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) in providing assistance at an incident in Seixal led to a person’s death; the circumstances are being examined.
8am: Man dies while waiting for assistance from INEM
The Union of Pre-Hospital Emergency Technicians admits that the SNS's new triage system may have contributed to the case. Also, Greenland requests a meeting with the United States.
07:00 — Parliamentary Inquiry Commission into INEM begins
MPs will hear testimony from around 100 organisations. Also in this bulletin: the leaders of Ukraine, the United States and the countries of the 'Coalition of the Willing' sign the 'Declaration of Paris'.