This Wednesday, the parliamentary health committee approved four hearings on INEM’s financial and operational conditions, including with the Minister of Health, following requests submitted by Chegi’s colleagues and the PSD.
Two requests for hearings at the National Institute of Emergency Medicine (INEM) were approved unanimously, health commission president Ana Abrunosa told Lusa.
At Chegi’s request, MPs will hear from Health Minister Ana Paula Martins, while the PSD has requested hearings from the presidents of INEM, the Union of Prehospital Emergency Physicians and the College of Competence in Emergency Medicine of the Order of Physicians.
Chega asked to hear from Ana Paula Martins, saying that according to “information published in the press,” INEM is facing a “serious financial crisis that threatens its ability to maintain a network” of operational ambulances and helicopters. in emergency medical situations.
“This situation is extremely serious, as it puts at risk the lives of citizens who depend on the readiness and effectiveness of these emergency services,” the party said in its appeal.
According to Chegi, INEM’s board of directors has asked the government for an urgent allocation of 25 million euros to overcome this “critical situation.”
The party believes it is essential that the Minister of Health provides clarification on INEM’s financial and operational situation, what immediate measures the government intends to take and how it intends to guarantee the financial sustainability of the institution in the medium and long term.
The Social Democratic Collegium said in its request for a hearing that INEM’s “undeniable degradation of material resources” had “impaired the provision of emergency assistance” to the population.
“In the last quarter of last year, about 80 ambulances and INEM medical vehicles were out of action for more than a month due to lack of operating conditions,” the SDP emphasized.
According to the request, earlier this year half of the ambulance helicopters serving INEM stopped operating at night, and recently “the Portuguese learned that 28 INEM ambulances were closed” due to a shortage of emergency medical personnel. .
“These INEM challenges are serious as they jeopardize the public’s access to timely and differentiated emergency medical care, so it is important that the health commission can obtain appropriate clarification from the organizations most directly involved and aware of the realities of emergency medical care. in our country,” justify the Social Democrats.
The National Institute of Emergency Medicine (INEM) is the body of the Ministry of Health responsible for coordinating the work of the Integrated Emergency Medical Care System on the Portuguese mainland.
On April 25, the Union of Prehospital Emergency Doctors reported that 28 INEM ambulances were stopped due to a lack of technicians.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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