Lacerda Sales Forwarded Diverse Requests to Hospital Director

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An inquiry into the luso-Brazilian twins case has revealed that former Health Secretary António Lacerda Sales regularly forwarded varied requests—ranging from patient clinical information to job inquiries—to the clinical director of the Hospital de Santa Maria, publico.pt reported. The investigation, which led to charges against the former government official, shows he maintained frequent contacts with then-clinical director Luís Pinheiro that extended far beyond the specific 2020 treatment of the twins with the high-cost medication Zolgensma.

Political Figures and Job Requests Flood Official Channels

Judicial records show that multiple figures from the Socialist Party, including Ana Catarina Mendes and Edite Estrela, utilized their influence to reach out to Lacerda Sales, according to publico.pt. WhatsApp messages gathered by the Public Ministry and consulted by CNN Portugal indicate that the former secretary of state received messages from various government colleagues and outside parties, systematically passing them along to Luís Pinheiro. The correspondence covered requests for patient assistance, clinical updates, and hiring interventions at the Lisbon hospital.

Messaging Logs Link Nuno Rebelo De Sousa to Treatment

CNN Portugal reported that messaging logs document direct communication involving Nuno Rebelo de Sousa. A subsequent message sent on May 19, 2020, originated from Daniela Martins, the mother of the twins, who expressed desperation over the limited time remaining for her daughters to receive the therapy. In that same communication, Martins proposed utilizing approximately 2.5 million reals raised through campaigns in Brazil to help cover the treatment costs, or extending the fundraising campaign to Portugal if necessary.