In statements at the Assembly of the Republic, IL Parliamentary Leader Mariana Leitão justified the decision to propose an inquiry committee into the management of the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM), stating that the party has exhausted “all mechanisms” in recent legislatures to understand the existing problems at the institute.
“We believe that only through a parliamentary inquiry committee can we thoroughly determine the level of political responsibility that needs to be clarified in this matter. We cannot be negligent with something that can jeopardize people’s lives,” she said.
Mariana Leitão stated that the IL’s proposal would cover the period from 2019, as “that’s when situations at INEM began to worsen year after year,” to 2024.
Regarding the individuals she intends to summon, Mariana Leitão mentioned the request to hear all the Health Ministers from 2019 to the present—Marta Temido, Manuel Pizarro, and Ana Paula Martins—as well as “all entities directly related to INEM.”
She highlighted that the institute “has several problems that have worsened over the years, notably the lack of resources and professionals” and “lack of organization,” resulting in “an absence of timely response,” and asserted the necessity of resolving these issues.
“I am sure that various parliamentary groups represented in the Assembly of the Republic and several individual deputies will certainly be in solidarity with this need to solve INEM’s problems, and therefore, we believe this proposal will be viable,” she stated.
Mariana Leitão mentioned that she has not yet discussed the matter with any party regarding possible support, arguing that it is IL’s initiative.
“If there’s one area where the state cannot fail, it’s in the protection of life and assistance to people. From the news that emerged yesterday [Wednesday], we noted that, following the INEM strike in November last year, at least one person may have died due to lack of assistance,” she expressed.
When asked if she believes Health Minister Ana Paula Martins should resign after the Inspector General of Health Activities (IGAS) found that a man’s death during the 2024 INEM strike could have been avoided, Mariana Leitão did not directly respond.
“I think the minister, after saying she would take all responsibilities, should now, based on the report that will also be released, evaluate with the Prime Minister how they will assume those responsibilities,” she said.
In the last legislature, IL had proposed two inquiry committees—into Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa and EFACEC—which were approved, but their proceedings were not completed due to the government’s fall and the dissolution of the Assembly of the Republic.
When questioned if IL intends to reintroduce those two inquiry committee proposals in conjunction with the INEM inquiry, Mariana Leitão replied: “We are going to present this proposal now.”
“It is likely that we will present others, especially those we had previously tabled, but at the moment we believe the urgency, considering that human lives are at stake, lies in presenting this parliamentary inquiry into INEM,” she concluded.
