The tragedy of Portugal’s medical emergency response crisis has claimed three lives in 24 hours – the latest a 68-year-old man in Tavira in the Algarve who waited over an hour for an ambulance to arrive.
Citing a family source, Lusa news agency reports the man fell ill late on Wednesday afternoon after visiting a pharmacy and taking a syrup.
Records cited by Lusa show the first emergency call was placed at 6.07pm, followed by a second call questioning the delay. By the third call at 6.47pm, the man was already in cardiac arrest. The first ambulance was dispatched at 6.42pm, with additional emergency units, including Tavira’s Advanced Life Support vehicle, a psychological support team, and the police, sent to the scene. The family member of the victim said help did not arrive until more than an hour after the initial call.
This is the third fatal delay in just 24 hours. On Tuesday, a 78-year-old man in Seixal died after nearly three hours waiting for assistance. And on Wednesday morning, another woman in Seixal passed away after waiting 44 minutes for a team, with an ambulance dispatched from Carcavelos, 35 kilometers away.
As the number of fatalities linked to long ambulance waits continues to pile up, the effectiveness, viability and future of Portugal’s medical emergency institute (INEM) are being questioned more than ever. How such tragedies can continue to happen is now a question being raised by presidential candidates.
