According to Público, around 882,000 foreign nationals living in Portugal are registered with local health centers. Given that the total number of foreign residents in the country is approximately 1.6 million, this means that only about half are enrolled in the public primary healthcare system.
The data, provided by the Central Administration of the Health System, also show that 52,886 of those registered have not completed all the mandatory information required. Without an up-to-date registration in the National Health Service (SNS), the State does not assume financial responsibility for care, Público reports.
This situation has raised concerns among advocacy groups, including “Humans Before Borders,” which has urged the government not to take any administrative actions that could lead to discrimination or unfair limitations on access to healthcare.
