The Minister of Health stated that surgical waiting lists are expected to continue growing and acknowledged an emerging trend of insufficient response times within the public health system.
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The deficit in the National Health Service could more than double next year, with an estimated shortfall exceeding 2.6 billion euros. The Minister of Health rejects the scale of the projected increase, but acknowledges that the financial situation is worsening.
As of Sunday, 1 November, pharmacies in seven municipalities will begin providing methadone treatment for opioid addiction. The program, which includes pharmacies in Albufeira, Loulé, Portalegre, Portimão, São Brás de Alportel, Santiago do Cacém, and Vila do Bispo, is part of a national rollout managed by ICAD and INFARMED to increase treatment accessibility and patient privacy.
During a parliamentary hearing on the 2027 State Budget, Health Minister Ana Paula Martins stated that immigration growth — with foreign residents rising from roughly 748,000 in 2021 to about 1.6 million in 2025 — is adding pressure to the SNS, alongside an aging demographic. She acknowledged that surgical waiting lists have reached a record high of 284,000 people and announced that the new Access System for Consultations and Surgeries (SINACC) is now scheduled to start in January 2027, delayed from its initial August 2026 target. She also confirmed plans to advance further Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in hospitals and intends to amend the dispatch on additional surgical production.