Newborn’s death deepens pressure on Health Minister
Minister Ana Paula Martins has found herself in the unenviable role of Luís Montenegro’s lightning rod, a familiar strategy among past Portuguese PMs to deflect and absorb political criticism.
Portugal’s Health Minister, Ana Paula Martins, is facing intense political pressure following the death of a newborn at Lisbon’s Santa Maria Hospital and renewed scrutiny over recent health system failures.
The case involves a pregnant woman who sought care at five different hospitals over 13 days, reporting pain before undergoing an emergency cesarean at Santa Maria Hospital on June 22.
The baby was born with signs of fetal distress and died shortly after birth.
An investigation is now underway, with internal audits being conducted at each hospital involved.
Asked whether she would resign, Martins said she assumes responsibility by “solving problems, not by stepping down.”
The Minister emphasized she would wait “calmly” for the audit results before taking further action.
The situation echoes a 2022 case that led to the resignation of former Health Minister Marta Temido, also following a maternal health scandal.
The opposition has seized on the parallel.
Calls for Resignation
Chega leader André Ventura demanded Martins' resignation, claiming her response is insufficient and pointing to past promises of health reform.
“People continue to die due to failures in the system,” Ventura said, adding, “If it had been an immigrant in this case, would we have failed too?”
The Socialist Party (PS) is also pressing for accountability, demanding the minister appear before Parliament to explain the findings of a separate audit regarding a man’s preventable death during an INEM emergency services strike in November 2024.
According to the IGAS (Health Inspectorate), the 53-year-old heart attack victim died after failing to receive timely care, highlighting systemic weaknesses in Portugal’s emergency response.
“The minister must stop hiding and take responsibility,” said PS MP Mariana Vieira da Silva.
Dermatology Scandal Adds to Pressure
Martins also faces backlash over a separate scandal involving excessive pay in Santa Maria’s dermatology department.
Reports revealed a dermatologist earned over €400,000 in ten days, including €51,000 in a single day.
Another doctor was reportedly paid €113,000 for weekend surgeries, despite being abroad at a conference on at least one of those days.
These revelations have prompted urgent hearing requests from PS, Chega, and Iniciativa Liberal (IL), which are calling for testimony from the minister and senior hospital officials.
IL highlighted concerns over flaws in the surgical waiting list management system (SIGIC), suggesting it may be vulnerable to abuse.
Despite the controversies, Martins remains firm in her position, stating that systemic reforms, including a new regional emergency care plan, are already in progress.
Still, with growing public and political scrutiny, her ability to retain confidence in her leadership is increasingly in question.