The Ombudsman has emphasized the urgency of analyzing the issues within the aid system and has called for an investigation into the delays at INEM. The aim is to determine what went wrong and, if necessary, ensure that the State provides compensation.
Legal Basis for Accountability
In a media interview, Maria Lúcia Amaral stressed the need to determine the facts in each case for accountability purposes, stating, that these matters are not driven by momentary emotions; they are guided by what the law dictates.
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She stated that:
What the law says is that, if in each case, in court proceedings (…), if it is concluded that the assumptions defined by law are met, then yes, under the terms of the law, the State must compensate.
Reference to Strikes and Coordination Challenges
The ombudsman was referring to cases of deaths allegedly linked to delays in providing assistance during the strike period of Pre-Hospital Emergency Technicians, particularly on November 4th, when this strike coincided with a public sector strike.
She recalled the warnings issued two weeks ago by the Firefighters League about the challenges they face in coordinating with INEM and hospitals when urgently transporting patients, highlighting the dysfunction of the emergency system.
She added that, at the time, she had immediately contacted the Ministry of Health:
What the League asked us was to be aware of how serious the situation could be.
The provider also emphasized the need for better coordination among all entities involved in the emergency response system.
She said that:
Either the coordination between all entities improves or we will start to fail and the State will fail in absolutely definitive situations in which people’s lives are at stake.
She further highlighted that:
The entities involved must sit down at the table they must consciously analyze why everything is working so badly and avoid it under the aegis of those who decide which is the governing political power.
Also Read: INEM Strike: Union Claims Failure to Assign Workers For Minimum Services
Ongoing Investigations
The service failures reportedly link to the deaths of 11 individuals, prompting the Public Prosecutor’s Office to open seven investigations, one of which has concluded. Additionally, an investigation by the General Inspectorate of Health Activities (IGAS) remains ongoing.
