Portugal’s Health Minister resigns due to lack of doctors

On Tuesday, August 30, Portugal’s Health Minister, Marta Temido, resigned.

Her management was widely criticized for guiding the temporary closure of obstetric emergencies in several hospitals in the country due to a lack of professionals during the summer vacations.

The measure causes women to need to be transferred between units.

According to a statement issued by the Portuguese Ministry of Health to local media outlets, Temido resigned because she believes she no longer has the conditions to remain in office.

In another statement, Prime Minister António Costa thanked the minister for her dedication. He especially mentioned her performance at the head of the covid-19 containment policy. He also said that the resignation request was accepted.

The minister’s resignation was disclosed shortly after reports that a pregnant woman had died on Saturday, August 27, in Lisbon.

The pregnant woman had suffered a cardiac arrest inside an ambulance while being transported from one hospital to another due to a lack of vacancies.

Temido had been in charge of the Ministry of Health since October 2018. She was praised for her actions to combat covid-19, especially for the vaccination campaign.

She has recently been criticized for the lack of professionals in the public health system. Doctors complain of poor working conditions and extreme fatigue.

With information from Poder360