Portugal Health Minister resigns after pregnant Indian tourist dies in Lisbon; India calls incident 'very unfortunate'

Portugal's Health Minister resigned after an Indian tourist died in Lisbon. The tragedy is being blamed on the government's decision to temporarily suspend emergency obstetric services, which caused pregnant women to undergo risky transfers between hospitals

Image courtesy: ANI

Portugal: Portugal’s Health Minister Marta Temido resigned on Tuesday after the widespread criticism of her decision to temporarily close emergency obstetric services and forcibly transfer an Indian pregnant woman between hospitals. Temido in a sentence said that she "no longer has the conditions" to exercise the position, which the prime minister accepted, Portugal’s National Public broadcaster, RTP News reported. Her resignation was announced five hours after the news of the death of a pregnant woman in Lisbon.

In a note published 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 the Minister of Health, Marta Temido, and the proposal to appoint his replacement.

"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", reads a text posted on the Presidency’s page in internet with the title "Note on the Minister of Health’s intention to cease her duties".

India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has expressed sorrow over the incident and said, “We are aware of the Indian women who died in Portugal. I am not aware of the full details. We are in touch with the family. This is a very unfortunate incident.”

We are aware of the Indian women who died in Portugal. I am not aware of the full details. We are in touch with the family. This is a very unfortunate incident: MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Indian women who died in Portugal pic.twitter.com/0zuaS3sBdv

— ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2022

A pregnant Indian woman died on Saturday after being transferred on Tuesday from Hospital de Santa Maria to Hospital Sao Francisco Xavier, due to a lack of vacancies in the neonatology service. During the trip, there was a cardiorespiratory arrest, and resuscitation work was carried out on the transport, reported RTP News.

According to Centro Hospitalar Universitario Lisboa Norte (CHULN), at the Sao Francisco Xavier Hospital, the pregnant woman was "submitted to an urgent cesarean section, with the newborn, weighing 722 grams, going to the neonatal intensive care unit for prematurity".

"The mother was hospitalized in intensive care, and died", indicated the CHULN, sending "the deepest condolences to the family".

Meanwhile, Marta Temido will remain in office until the successor is chosen. The successor must be approved by the Council of Ministers scheduled for September 15. But the presentation can be anticipated. Secretaries of State Antonio Lacerda Sales and Maria de Fatima Fonseca also leave the Ministry of Health.