The parliament has approved the urgent hearing requests made by the Liberal Initiative (IL) and Chega to question Health Minister Ana Paula Martins regarding the additional surgeries performed in the dermatology department at Santa Maria Hospital, Lisbon.
The requests received unanimous approval from the Health Committee.
The requests from Chega and IL address “concerning situations” in the dermatology service at the Santa Maria health unit in Lisbon.
In the request, IL recalls that it was reported in May that a dermatologist at Santa Maria Health Unit allegedly received “over 400,000 euros for surgeries in just ten days in 2024, including 51,000 euros in a single day.”
Thus, IL calls for the urgent hearing of seven individuals, including the Health Minister, SNS Executive Director Álvaro Almeida, Santa Maria Health Unit Board Chairman Carlos das Neves Martins, and former dermatology service director Paulo Filipe, who resigned on June 24.
The party also seeks to hear from Miguel Alpalhão, the dermatologist who reportedly received thousands of euros for surgeries outside regular hours.
The dermatologist from Santa Maria, who earned around 400,000 euros in ten Saturdays of additional work last year (including 51,000 euros in just one workday), insists he did not engage in “illegal activities” and did not violate any rules, adding that surgeries on relatives were known to his superiors.
Notícias ao Minuto | 11:53 – 20/06/2025
Chega requested the urgent hearing of Ana Paula Martins, Board Chair Carlos Martins, and Paulo Filipe.
In their request, Chega highlights the dermatologist’s case and another dermatologist who reportedly performed surgeries in her name while attending a conference in Italy and allegedly received 113,000 euros for seven Saturdays of additional work.
“Recent news has brought to light concerning situations in Santa Maria’s dermatology department, raising serious questions about the operation and control mechanisms in the National Health Service, requiring urgent clarification,” the party emphasized.
Chega also seeks clarification on the Integrated Surgery Waiting List Management System (SIGIC), arguing that it “seems to have vulnerabilities that may lead to irregular situations, necessitating an evaluation of existing control mechanisms.”
In May of this year, a dermatologist logged several surgeries while attending a conference in Italy. It is known she earned nearly 113,000 euros over seven days of additional surgical work on Saturdays.
Notícias ao Minuto com Lusa | 23:24 – 21/06/2025
The Health Minister will also be heard regarding INEM cases after the approval of a request by the PS party, with PSD abstaining. Deputy Francisco de Sousa Vieira remarked that “the PS request text hastily reaches conclusions.”
On June 26, the PS announced it would request the urgent parliamentary hearing of the governor about the Inspectorship-General of Health Activities (IGAS) report regarding INEM, asserting it’s time for Ana Paula Martins “to assume her responsibilities.”
[News updated at 14h21]
