Temperatures In Spain Will Remain Higher Than Normal As September Ends And October Begins Close
Trending:

Outcry As Portuguese City Of Porto Left Without Ambulances For Four Hours Due To Lack Of INEM Technicians

By Chris King • 03 September 2023 • 20:52

Image of an INEM ambulance in Portugal.

Image of an INEM ambulance in Portugal. Credit: AlfvanBeem/Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication

A crisis arose in the Portuguese city of Porto this afternoon when it was revealed that no ambulances would be available between 4 pm and 8 pm.

According to the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (ANTEM), this situation was due to the lack of pre-hospital emergency technicians from INEM.

In a statement, ANTEM explained that: ‘Due to a lack of Pre-Hospital Emergency Technicians (TEPH), the city of Porto will be deprived of ambulances from INEM’, reported sicnoticias.pt.

‘ANTEM assigns responsibilities to the Minister of Health and the Board of Directors of INEM, considering that this type of situation will not be resolved, neither in the long term nor with immediate effects, we have nothing left than to anticipate the resignation request’, read a post on the ANTEM Facebook page.

They asked for the resignation of Health Minister, Manuel Pizarro

They were of course referring to Manuel Pizarro, the Portuguese Minister of Health, and of the INEM Board of Directors.

Their post continued: ‘THE ANTEM also asks for the creation of a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry to sort out the facts freely and independently, leading to the creation and implementation of the measures necessary to create a true Emergency Medical Service, capable of responding’

‘Unfortunately, they have already demonstrated their lack of competence to carry out their functions in a fair and appropriate manner to the needs of the country’, it added.

‘This dangerous folly calls into question not only the Right to Health, but also the Right to Life’, read another post.

Finally, ANTEM called for: ‘The creation of a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry that investigates the facts in a free and independent way, leading to the creation and implementation of the measures necessary to create a true Emergency Medical Service, capable of responding’.

The Portuguese health system is currently suffering a medical crisis. Last Friday, more than 1,000 doctors signed a letter to the Health Minister in which they refused to work more than the mandatory 150 annual hours of overtime if the current negotiating deadlock with the sector does not come to an end.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

Comments

Continue Reading