In response to a string of fatal ambulance delays linked to the death of three people in just 24 hours, Portugal’s Prime Minister announced today (January 8) what he called the “largest investment in over a decade” in emergency ambulances.
Opening the fortnightly parliamentary debate, Luís Montenegro expressed condolences to the families of the victims and revealed that the government approved the purchase of a new fleet of vehicles for the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) on Wednesday.
The package includes 63 ambulances, 34 rapid-response VMER units and 78 other emergency vehicles, at a total cost of €16.8 million. “It’s the largest investment of its kind in the last decade,” the PM said.
“We are solving a chronic problem and reversing a disinvestment we inherited, with clear and serious consequences,” Montenegro said, deflecting the blame to previous Socialist-led governments.
He contrasted the new spending with the previous decade, noting that only 100 vehicles were acquired for INEM over the last ten years, at a cost of €4.2 million – roughly a quarter of the amount now being invested.
The prime minister also announced the creation of a rapid-response capacity of between 400 and 500 intermediate-care beds, aimed at removing so-called social cases from hospitals and freeing up emergency services.
“All these investments are part of the deep reform of INEM that is under way, so we can guarantee a faster response from the medical emergency service,” Montenegro said.
The announcement comes amid growing public and political pressure over the effectiveness of Portugal’s emergency medical system, after a series of fatal delays have again exposed shortcomings within INEM.
