Portugal emergency services face reports of extreme wait times

Emergency medical services in Portugal are facing significant pressure, with reports of extreme wait times in hospitals and delays in ambulance responses.

In the Setúbal Peninsula, patients at the Hospital Nossa Senhora do Rosário in Barreiro reported waiting between 12 and 24 hours for medical attention. Similarly, the Hospital Garcia de Orta in Almada experienced waits of approximately 11 hours. Patients, particularly the elderly, have described scenarios where they remained in emergency departments for extended periods without being seen after triage.

In Torres Vedras, local firefighters raised concerns regarding ambulance response times, alleging that citizens have waited over an hour for assistance despite available resources. The National Institute of Emergency Medical Services (INEM) contested these claims, stating that in 95% of recorded occurrences, the activation time for the first resource was under 20 minutes. However, INEM acknowledged that high pressure on the Integrated Medical Emergency System can cause occasional constraints during holiday periods or adverse weather.