Portugal's Coimbra maternity hospital project to move forward in 2026

Health Minister Ana Paula Martins said the Portuguese government is committed to advancing the new maternity hospital in Coimbra "briefly", though she declined to give a date for the public tender. She indicated the aim is to start the construction phase during 2026, emphasizing the importance of delivering a long‑awaited facility for residents and healthcare professionals.

The hospital will be built on the perimeter of the University of Coimbra Hospitals, replacing the city's two existing maternity wards. While the 2025 state budget already allocated funds for the project, the tender has not yet been launched, and administrative steps such as expense scheduling and necessary authorisations remain to be resolved. The initiative has suffered repeated delays, originally projected for 2024 and later for early 2024.

The announcement came at a ceremony signing multiple health‑ecosystem agreements, including a letter of intent with the World Health Organization to create a WHO Collaborating Centre on Integrated Care across the life‑cycle, and a health charter signed by 24 municipalities. Local officials present included Francisco Maio Matos (ULS Coimbra president), Ana Abrunhosa (Coimbra mayor) and Carlos Robalo Cordeiro (academic council president).