The Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, stated today that the Air Force “provides all its resources for medical emergency services,” but refrained from disclosing specific details about the number of resources available.
Speaking to journalists in Braga, Ana Paula Martins mentioned that the details would need to be disclosed either by the Air Force itself or the Ministry of Defense.
“The Air Force provides all its resources for Medical Emergency services. Under this cooperation mission, it is not subordinated to the management of INEM. It receives activation from INEM in its operational centers and is responsible for the operation. This is all I can tell you,” she stated.
Last week, the Ministries of National Defense and Health announced that emergency medical air transport would be ensured by Air Force aircraft and teams starting July 1, until the public tender launched by INEM receives approval from the Court of Auditors.
According to the government, this solution ensures the National Emergency Service for the Portuguese until the international public tender for contracting INEM’s helicopter emergency medical service (SHEM), awarded in March to Gulf Med Aviation Services, receives the Court of Auditors’ approval and can be operationalized under the best safety conditions.
When asked about the fact that the contracted company does not have aircraft or pilots, the minister did not respond.
