The official beach season, which ran from May 1 to September 30, recorded 30 fatalities, marking the highest number in five years. Of these, 17 were drownings, while others were attributed to sudden medical emergencies. Lifeguard federations are calling for legislative reform and extended surveillance, noting that many incidents occur outside supervised periods or areas.
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The municipality of Leiria will continue its 'Bata Branca' project, which provides medical consultations to patients without an assigned family doctor. Although the local health unit (ULS) reports that the municipality now has full coverage following the recruitment of 23 new doctors, the project will remain active specifically to cover temporary gaps caused by physician leave, parental leave, or illness.
The national health service (SNS) has opened 2,338 residency training positions for medical specialists. Of these, over 600 are allocated to General and Family Medicine, with more than 1,500 dedicated to hospital specialties.
A new bill (Bill 786/XVII/2) submitted to Parliament proposes that non-residents and individuals in Portugal irregularly must pay for SNS healthcare services, or provide proof of coverage from a liable entity such as an insurer or another state. Emergency and life-saving care would remain guaranteed, with documentation provided after treatment, while new mechanisms are proposed to identify responsible parties and recover unpaid costs.