A baby was born “on the A1 motorway, at km 110,” assisted by the Rio Maior Volunteer Firefighters who performed the delivery.
“The Rio Maior Volunteer Firefighters delivered a baby on the A1, km 110, while en route to the Santo André Hospital in Leiria due to the unavailability of the hospitals in Santarém, Vila Franca de Xira, and Caldas da Rainha,” stated a Facebook post by the Portuguese Firemen’s League.
The post further noted that the “delivery was performed without any specialized support.”
“This is another of the many deliveries that have been conducted in fire brigade ambulances,” it read.
Portuguese Firemen’s League Alerts: Firefighters Facing “Difficult Management”
Fire departments are currently experiencing management issues due to constraints in emergency rooms, warned the Portuguese Firemen’s League last week, estimating that at least 38 babies have been born in ambulances this year.
In a statement to Lusa, the president of the League stressed that fire departments are dealing with “a difficult management” because of closed emergencies, as the intervention times for each pre-hospital emergency are longer, which “requires having more ambulances in the fire stations to respond” to all requests.
Fire departments are currently experiencing management issues due to constraints in emergency rooms, the Portuguese Firemen’s League alerted today, estimating that at least 38 babies have been born in ambulances this year.
Lusa | 18:46 – 18/07/2025
“The Goal Is Fewer Babies Born in Ambulances”
In April, Health Minister Ana Paula Martins had stated that “the goal is for fewer babies to be born in ambulances, particularly through closely monitored pregnancies.”
“If there is one area where we have excelled over the last 45 years, it’s in maternal and infant health, and therefore, we must ensure these indicators remain strong,” she noted at the time.
This Wednesday, Health Minister Ana Paula Martins mentioned the need to ensure fewer babies are born in ambulances, acknowledging that such situations have always existed.
Lusa | 18:25 – 23/04/2025
Six Emergencies Closed Over the Weekend
Six emergency rooms will be closed on Saturday, and another six will be closed on Sunday, with five for Gynecology and Obstetrics and one for Pediatrics.
The Obstetrics and Gynecology emergency rooms at the hospitals in Aveiro, Vila Franca de Xira, Setúbal, and Leiria, and the Gynecology emergency of Caldas da Rainha will be closed on Saturday, as will the Pediatric emergency in Vila Franca de Xira.
On Sunday, the Gynecology and Obstetrics emergencies in Barreiro, Vila Franca de Xira, Santarém, Aveiro, and Leiria will be closed, along with the Pediatric emergency in Vila Franca de Xira.
Today, Friday, four Gynecology and Obstetrics emergencies are closed: Almada (Garcia de Orta), Setúbal, Vila Franca de Xira, and Abrantes.
Lusa | 10:58 – 25/07/2025
