Portuguese Health Minister Marta Temido resigned on Tuesday after a pregnant tourist from India died of a cardiac arrest on Saturday after being turned away from a maternity ward, Reuters reported.
The death sparked outrage against Temido’s decision to temporarily close emergency obstetric service in the country. The Portuguese health ministry said in a statement that Temido, who held the post since 2018, had decided to step down as she “realised that she no longer had the conditions to remain in office”.
Prime Minister Antonio Costa accepted Temido’s resignation on Tuesday.
In view of shortage of doctors during the summer holidays, the Portuguese government had decided to close some emergency obstetric services, especially on weekends. Opposition parties had criticised the decision, saying that this would lead to pregnant women being forced to travel to hospitals located far away.
The tourist from India died while being moved from the Santa Maria Hospital in capital city Lisbon as its neonatology unit was full, the BBC reported. The baby was delivered in a healthy condition after doctors carried out an emergency C-section surgery.
Authorities have started an investigation into the woman’s death.
Gustavo Tato Borges, the chief of Portugal’s public health association, told the country’s public service broadcaster Rádio e Televisão de Portugal that he was surprised at Temido’s resignation at a time of acute problems in the health sector.
Temido was widely credited with successfully handling the country’s vaccine rollout during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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