Portugal health minister steps down after pregnant Indian woman dies: Report

Marta Temido, the Portuguese health minister, stepped down on Tuesday after she received widespread criticism for her decision to temporarily close emergency obstetric services. It caused risky transfers of pregnant women from one hospital to another.

It also led to the death of a pregnant Indian woman during transfer, India-based news agency ANI reported. The report also noted that the resignation was announced five hours after the news of the death of the pregnant woman in Lisbon.

In a statement, the health ministry of the country said that Temido had decided to resign because she "realised that she no longer had the conditions to remain in office".

On the official website of the Presidency of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had already assumed that he was awaiting the resignation request of Temido.

The text read: "The President of the Republic was informed by the Prime Minister, (...) of the intention of the Minister of Health, Marta Temido, to cease her duties, a position she accepted."

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said in a separate statement that he had accepted her resignation and thanked Temido for her work. The statement also mentioned that Costa also thanked her for organising a successful vaccination campaign against coronavirus (COVID-19).

Death of pregnant Indian woman

ANI mentioned that the pregnant Indian woman died on Saturday after she was transferred on Tuesday from Hospital de Santa Maria to Hospital Sao Francisco Xavier. She was getting transferred because of the lack of vacancies in the neonatology service.

RTP News reported that during the transfer, there was a cardiorespiratory arrest. Resuscitation work was carried out on the woman during transit but she did not survive.

The government took the measure to close emergency obstetric services, especially at weekends. This led to several hospitals without enough doctors during the summer holidays.

In the country, the opposition parties and municipalities have criticised the minister because pregnant women sometimes have to make risky trips to hospitals far away.

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