A baby was born in an ambulance of the Vila Real de Santo António and Castro Marim Firefighters in the early hours of Friday on the A22 motorway. The ambulance was heading to Portimão Hospital because the obstetrics emergency service at Faro Hospital was closed.
“In the early hours of Friday, a team from Vila Real de Santo António and Castro Marim Firefighters was part of a very special moment: the birth of a baby aboard one of our ambulances on the A22 near the Faro exit,” reads a post shared on the social media platform Facebook.
In the statement, the firefighters noted that the delivery “was successfully performed by the doctor of the Medical Emergency and Resuscitation Vehicle (VMER)” at 4:50 a.m. with support.
“Due to the closure of the obstetrics emergency service at Faro Hospital, it was necessary to conduct a rendezvous on the A22 itself, then proceed to Portimão Hospital, where the mother and baby were admitted at 5:50 a.m.,” they explain.
Firefighters Face “Difficult Management” Due to Closed Emergencies
Firefighter corporations are currently experiencing management challenges due to constraints in emergency services, warned the Portuguese Firefighter League last month, estimating that at least 38 babies have been born in ambulances this year.
In statements to Lusa, the president of the League emphasized that firefighter corporations are facing “difficult management” due to closed emergencies, as the intervention times for each pre-hospital emergency are longer, necessitating more ambulances in fire departments to respond to all requests.
Firefighter corporations are currently facing management issues due to constraints in emergency services, alerted the Portuguese Firefighter League today, estimating at least 38 babies have been born in ambulances this year.
Lusa | 18:46 – 18/07/2025
Health Minister: “The Goal is for Fewer Babies to be Born in Ambulances”
It should be noted that in April, Health Minister Ana Paula Martins stated that “the goal is for fewer babies to be born in ambulances, especially through well-monitored pregnancies.”
“If there’s one area where we have distinguished ourselves in the past 45 years, it’s in the maternal and child area, and therefore we must ensure that these indicators are maintained,” she said at that time.
Health Minister Ana Paula Martins stated this Wednesday that it is necessary to ensure fewer babies are born in ambulances, though she acknowledged such situations have always occurred.
Lusa | 18:25 – 23/04/2025
