In 2025
Number of nurses per thousand inhabitants in the Region remained above the national average, unlike the number of dentists and pharmacists
In 2025, the number of dentists in active practice with declared residence in the Autonomous Region of Madeira (ARM), registered in the Order of Dentists, was 252, representing an increase of 2.0% compared with 2024 (247 dentists). In the Region, for every 100 female dentists in active practice, there were 55 male dentists. In terms of population coverage, there were, on average, 0.95 dentists per thousand inhabitants in the ARM, slightly higher than the figure recorded in 2024 (0.93‰), constituting the highest value in the available series. Nationally, the ratio was 1.12 dentists per thousand inhabitants, also higher than the figure recorded in 2024 (1.10‰).
The number of nurses registered with the respective professional order and practising in the Region was 2 802 professionals in 2025, an increase of 2.6% compared with 2024 (+72 nurses). The sex ratio among these professionals is 22.3, meaning that for every 5 nurses, 4 are female. On average, 10.53 nurses per thousand inhabitants worked in the Region, a ratio higher than the figure recorded in 2024 (10.31‰) and significantly higher than the national figure (7.69‰). Considering the municipality of the workplace, Santa Cruz (12.98‰), Machico (12.97‰) and Funchal with 11.94‰ stood out.
Considering the workplace, 294 pharmacists were registered with the Order of Pharmacists in the Region (8 more than in 2024), among which 199 were community pharmacists, corresponding to a ratio of 1.10 pharmacists per thousand inhabitants (1.08 in 2024). Nationally, the ratio was 1.51 pharmacists per thousand inhabitants.
Information on the number of doctors registered with the Portuguese Medical Association will be released as soon as the data is made available by Statistics Portugal (INE).
The data now released form an integral part of the publication "Health Statistics of the Autonomous Region of Madeira 2025", the complete edition of which will be released in the 1st quarter of 2027.
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