Portugal obstetrics emergency units close amid staff shortages

The obstetrics emergency department at Hospital de Portalegre will be closed from midnight on Monday until 08:00 on Wednesday because of a shortage of obstetric doctors, with patients advised to call the SNS 24 line for referrals. In Lisbon, the obstetrics emergency at Hospital São Francisco Xavier will remain shut for the entire month of August, offering only emergency response through INEM, while the nearby Hospital Garcia de Orta faces heavy pressure and a severe lack of anesthesiologists. The president of the Order of Doctors warned of a "very serious" shortage of both obstetricians and anesthetists, urging the National Health Service leadership to address the situation. The Medical Association (MDM) has publicly opposed proposals to centralise obstetrics emergency services on the Portuguese peninsula, arguing the closures strain patient care across the country.