1,656,891 million. This was the total, and historical, number of calls answered by the National Institute of Medical Emergency last year. The majority of requests for help are related to trauma situations, clinical problems and changes in the state of consciousness.
The National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) reveals, this Wednesday in a statement, that in 2025 it reached an all-time high. You Urgent Patient Guidance Centers (CODU) answered a “total of 1,656,891 calls, exceeding the figures seen in previous years”.
The majority of calls received referred to “trauma situations (246,267), other clinical problems (220,261), changes in the state of consciousness (195,318) and dyspnea (158,600)”, reveals INEM, highlighting the “diversity and complexity” of the occurrences that CODU teams face on a daily basis.
“In 109,521 of the calls – which corresponds to an average of around 300 calls per day – it was verified, after screening, that they were situations that did not constitute a medical emergency, and INEM proceeded to forward them to the SNS24 Line”, reads the statement.
INEM takes advantage of this number to reiterate that the emergency number – 112 – “should only be used in emergencies, that is, when there is imminent danger to life”.
For this reason, “citizen collaboration is essential to guarantee a quick and effective response to those who need it most, as a The use of 112 for non-emergency situations may affect the immediate availability of emergency lines and resources, impacting the response to priority incidents”.
