INEM's emergency helicopters have been providing nighttime assistance to an average of three people per week. Over the past five years, more than 750 people have been rescued by these means during the night, which demonstrates the importance of this service for the population.
INEM has defended that it is "spending too much" on night flights and intends to end this operation. The decision has generated strong opposition from various entities, including the Medical Association, firefighters, sector associations, a union, and the INEM workers' committee, who firmly reject the measure.
According to critics of this decision, cutting nighttime helicopter transport will not produce "significant financial gains" for the institute. Furthermore, they warn that the country's interior regions will be the most harmed by the elimination of this emergency service.
The organizations opposing the end of night flights argue that helicopters are essential to ensure rapid and effective emergency responses, especially in remote and hard-to-reach areas, where ground vehicles take longer to reach accident sites.
