According to a report by the Independent Investigatory Commission on the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico, mismanagement by the Lopez Obrador Administration contributed to the high mortality rate recorded during the pandemic, with 36 percent of deaths (nearly 300,000) of 808,619 that could have been prevented with proper care.
The commission’s findings highlight various issues, including unclear guidelines for patient care in hospitals, insufficient staff, and delays in obtaining protective equipment, which was also low quality.
Additionally, the commission mentions that about 60 percent of the patients sought medical attention from private clinics and pharmacies, where they also received inadequate recommendations and medication.
The report also criticized the “Stay at Home” campaign, stating that it encouraged sick patients to stay home instead of seeking medical care.
Importantly, official figures severely underestimate the death toll from COVID-19, reporting only about half the deaths that occurred, according to the commission.
It is unclear if this information will hurt President Lopez Obrador’s popularity or the Morena party’s chances of electoral success, as his administration tends to downplay or skew data that contradicts its presentation of events.
The Independent Investigatory Commission on the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico is a multidisciplinary group of researchers and professionals who have decided to work together to study the Mexican government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the highest standards of scientific rigor and academic objectivity, we seek to understand and learn from this historical episode, document the impact of the crisis on Mexican society, and identify the main successes and errors in management.
Source: Independent Investigatory Commission on the Covid-19 Pandemic in Mexico
