Aerial emergency resources undertook 29 operational flights between July 1st and July 15th.
The Portuguese Air Force (FAP) has stepped in to provide emergency medical air transport services, starting from July 1, 2025. This temporary arrangement is in place due to a delay in the Court of Auditors' approval of the contract awarded to Gulf Med Aviation Services in March 2025 for this service.
Gulf Med, the winning bidder for the international public tender, is set to provide the Emergency Medical Helicopter Service (SHEM) in Portugal. However, their full operational start is contingent upon the approval, which is yet to be received. In the interim, Gulf Med has already started partial operations, providing two helicopters operational for 12 hours a day, while the Air Force operates four helicopters around the clock.
During the first two weeks of July, the Air Force has already carried out 34 emergency medical air missions, demonstrating their active support during the transition period. These missions included 14 primary activations to the location of the occurrence and 20 transfers between hospital units. In comparison, Gulf Med's helicopters were activated 24 times, with 14 primary activations and 10 transfers.
The National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) reports that air ambulance missions performed a total of 29 operations in the first 15 days of July. The transition of the service to Gulf Med is being implemented gradually to ensure compliance with all European aviation legislation safety requirements.
It is worth noting that Gulf Med will not be able to operate all four helicopters and the necessary pilots by July 1, as previously announced. The company has two helicopters that operate only during the day, for 12 hours each. Another aircraft under the agreement with Gulf Med started operation on Wednesday, stationed in Évora.
The operation of the new helicopter is part of the transition period, leading to the service being fully operational and compliant with the agreed conditions. The Medical Emergency Helicopter Service of the INEM will eventually be composed of four exclusively dedicated medical helicopters, compatible with the transport of incubators, operating 24 hours a day. This will mark the end of the transition phase.
In a recent development, INEM reopened a hospital heliport in Lisbon to facilitate air ambulance operations by Gulf Med and other potential operators. This move underscores the institute's commitment to ensuring the continuity and safety of emergency medical services in Portugal.
[1] https://www.portugal.gov.pt/noticias/2025-06-30/portugal-tem-um-novo-operador-do-servico-de-transporte-aereo-de-emergencia-medica [2] https://www.portugal.gov.pt/noticias/2025-07-10/forca-aerea-portuguesa-realiza-missoes-de-transporte-aereo-de-emergencia-medica [3] https://www.inep.pt/noticias/2025-06-25/inep-reabre-heliporto-hospitalar-em-lisboa [4] https://www.gulfmed.pt/noticia/gulf-med-a-realizar-o-servico-de-transporte-aereo-de-emergencia-medica-em-portugal-a-partir-de-1-de-julho/ [5] https://www.portugal.gov.pt/noticias/2025-07-01/forca-aerea-portuguesa-colabora-com-inep-no-transporte-aereo-de-emergencia-medica-desde-1-de-julho
- What is the temporary provider for the Emergency Medical Helicopter Service in Portugal, until Gulf Med fully complies with all safety requirements and approvals? - The Portuguese Air Force
- Does the National Institute of Medical Emergency reported an increase in medical-conditions related emergency air ambulance operations since Gulf Med started providing some services in Portugal? - Yes, according to the reports, the air ambulance missions performed a total of 29 operations in the first 15 days of July.
