INEM has until March 15 to reach an agreement with the League of Firefighters.

INEM has until March 15 to present a document that meets the funding requirements put forward by the League of Portuguese Firefighters at the meeting that took place this Monday in Porto, LBP President António Nunez said at the end.

“Professor Fernando Araujo [diretor executivo do Serviço Nacional de Saúde] sought to find a bridge for dialogue, and INEM was obliged by March 15 to present a text with which we all agree and that funding will be provided in a certain form,” said the League leader.

For António Nunez, it is unacceptable to “continue to receive a monthly allowance of 4,890 euros and pay firefighters 12,600 euros in wages, while INEM continues to declare that it has no money.”

“We cannot continue to have the same number of ambulances that we had in 2011, we must increase it, as well as the qualifications, management and organization, and this is part of this management,” the head of the League warned at the end of the meeting with INEM. which took place at the National Health Service building of the São João Hospital.

Regarding the increase in the number of 130 ambulances discussed at the last meeting, António Nunez said that at the meeting this Monday the number was 60, but even this number “was not finalized because, in the end, INEM did not want the cars ambulance, but rather opened 60 stations.” emergency medical services, including fire ambulances,” a situation that LBP “did not accept.”

“If INEM ultimately does not find suitable answers, citizens will suffer when they need emergency medical attention,” the leader insisted, admitting that he feels “a little disappointed (…) because of the belief that everything would be a little more advanced”, especially after firefighters “carried out 1.2 million transports for INEM” in 2023.

According to António Nunez, “what is at stake is not only the renewal of the payment table (…) but also the new emergency medical centers that INEM wants to create without assigning ambulances to carry them out.”

“Our humanitarian associations are so underfunded that they cannot be sustained. (…) This is a failure of the system and INEM must understand this,” the leader insisted.

António Nuñez then reported that today the issue is being discussed “increasing the amount from 4,890 euros to six thousand euros this year and that other adjustments will be made in 2025” (…), as well as for “the remaining items in 2024, which will correspond to the level of inflation, but even this agreement was not reached.”

“INEM says it can rise to the level of inflation and, as regards the monthly benefit, to a corresponding increase in the national minimum wage. This is not enough for us,” he said.

“If INEM does not solve the problem by the 15th, we will be here to take the necessary measures, and if measures need to be taken immediately, we are ready to do so,” he said, without specifying what measures. “We will first consult with the fire federations,” concluded António Núñez.

INEM emissaries left the meeting without making a statement, while SNS executive management wrote in a statement that “The openness and commitment of the Integrated Emergency Health System partners in finding solutions that benefit people is certainly a guarantee that the results we intend to achieve, with participatory planning, organization and strategy, effective and protect the NHS.”

The next meeting is scheduled for March 27 at the DE-SNS base.