Portugal's INEM clarifies ambulance reforms amid health‑sector concerns

The Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica (INEM) announced that its planned reforms will not diminish emergency response capacity in Portugal. INEM President Dr. Luís Mendes Cabral stated that no community will lose differentiated pre‑hospital care and that the transfer of Emergency Medical Ambulances (AEM) to Local Health Units (ULS) will not eliminate these vehicles; they will continue to be dispatched by the Centres for Urgent Patient Orientation (CODU) and remain part of the national system. The reform also includes replacing Immediate Life Support Ambulances (SIV) with light intervention vehicles based on technical criteria, but INEM insists the overall clinical and operational assistance capacity will be maintained.

The Municipality of Anadia confirmed ongoing dialogue with INEM and the Aveiro Regional Health Unit, receiving formal guarantees that the differentiated response, including the AEM service, will be preserved. Meanwhile, the health‑sector association ANTEM warned that the transfer of AEMs and the substitution of SIVs could reduce the number of available resources, lengthen response times and weaken coverage, especially in sparsely populated interior municipalities. ANTEM cited travel times of up to four hours for some rural routes, arguing that simultaneous emergencies could strain the system and increase waiting periods for patients.