The Ministry of Health sent Parliament a complement to its explanatory note on the State Budget for 2025, which now foresees a negative balance of 217.2 million euros, alleging an increase in spending It is not yet fully quantified.
“The balance is expected to be negative 217.2 million euros, as a result of the estimated increase in expenses that has not yet been fully quantified,” states the document to which the Portuguese agency had access this Tuesday and of which it was informed. for the first time by the SIC.
Claims from the ministry of Ana Paula Martins that the increase in estimated spending now results from the reform of the National Health Service (SNS) that began in 2024, even with the previous Government, and which led to the extinction of the Regional Health Administrations and with the creation of Local Health Units, “specifically in the main areas of personnel, medicines and other acquisitions of goods and equipment.”
In the initial explanatory note sent to the deputies, the ministry estimated a positive budget balance of around 1.2 million euros, with a total consolidated expenditure of 16,853 million euros and total income of more than 16,854 million euros.
In the new document, the consolidated income allocated to the SNS will reach an amount of 16,530 million euros, while total expenses will reach 16,747 million euros, a difference of 217 million euros.
The addition also indicates that personnel expenses will reach 7,055 million euros, six million euros more than the 7,049 million euros foreseen in the initial document presented by the Government to Parliament.
Lusa asked the Ministries of Finance and Health for more clarifications on changes in expected quantities in the Budget for next year, but has not yet received a response.
Source: Observadora
