The Almada-Seixal Local Health Unit in Portugal has discontinued its unintended pregnancy consultations, according to a statement released on Sunday by the Users' Committees of the Municipalities of Seixal and Almada.
The service disruption has allegedly been in effect since August 10 due to a lack of human resources. Women seeking a voluntary termination of pregnancy will now be referred to a private clinic in Lisbon under a new arrangement.
The patient advocacy groups repudiated the withdrawal of local consultations, warning that transferring care to a private facility subjects women to bureaucratic formalities that could delay or hinder the procedure. The committees highlighted that until the recent past, women resorted to unsafe methods for pregnancy termination, leading to severe and sometimes fatal health outcomes.
Response from health authorities
In statements to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha, the Almada-Seixal Local Health Unit confirmed the decision was taken due to difficulties in guaranteeing a timely response for patients.
Health officials said the management established a protocol with a private medical establishment officially recognized by the Directorate-General of Health. The unit stated that this referral system is a temporary measure to ensure safe and timely treatment, adding that normal operations are expected to resume shortly.
The Seixal and Almada users' committees said they have received no additional information and plan to formally question the Board of Directors of the local health unit.
National debate on pregnancy termination
The local service suspension comes as public debate surrounding reproductive healthcare intensifies across Portugal. More than 100 people signed an open letter opposing measures to end the mandatory reflection period and extend the statutory deadline for voluntary termination of pregnancy.
In addition, the Women's Rights Platform called for a serious approach during parliamentary discussions regarding proposed updates to abortion legislation.
The Almada-Seixal Local Health Unit provides public healthcare coverage across the municipalities of Almada and Seixal on the south bank of the Tagus River. Services for voluntary termination of pregnancy in Portugal are integrated into the National Health Service under standards defined by the Directorate-General of Health.
