During the administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), Mexico faced significant challenges in the availability of medicines and cancer treatments. The shortage of essential medications, including those for cancer, became a critical issue, leading to widespread public outcry and protests. Parents of children with cancer were particularly vocal, blocking traffic and demanding the government address the lack of life-saving treatments2.
The root of the problem can be traced back to AMLO’s efforts to reform the healthcare system and tackle corruption. His administration centralized the purchasing of medicines to allegedly reduce corruption and maximize value for money. However, this restructuring led to inefficiencies and delays in the procurement and distribution processes. The Mexican Institute for Social Security (IMSS) and other public health institutions struggled to adapt to the new system, resulting in a significant decrease in the availability of critical medications.
The situation did not improve with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which further strained the healthcare system. The shortages extended beyond cancer treatments, including other essential medications like insulin and vaccines. Despite efforts to address the issue, including the creation of a state-owned “mega pharmacy,” the problem persisted throughout AMLO’s tenure4.
As Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October 2024, she inherited a healthcare system still grappling with these challenges. In her inaugural speech, Sheinbaum pledged to maintain and strengthen the universal healthcare system, focusing on improving access to essential medications. Her administration introduced a new medication purchasing model aimed at ensuring the availability of drugs in public health facilities. This model emphasizes transparency, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in the procurement process4.
While it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be, Sheinbaum’s commitment to addressing the medication shortages offers a glimmer of hope for patients in Mexico. The success of her administration’s efforts will be crucial in determining the future of healthcare in the country.
But the current reality is that in Mexico, many hospitals have declared a shortage of medicines. This shortage of medicines can affect the health of patients and increase their morbidity or mortality.
One example is the Dr. Aurelio Valdivieso General Hospital in the state of Oaxaca, southern Mexico, which is the main hospital center that serves the poorest patients in the state’s Indigenous communities and has been facing shortages of supplies and medicines since last year, in addition to the lack of water and gas at the start of 2025.
This week, the hospital’s medical staff, which is dependent on IMSS-Bienestar, a Mexican state institution that offers free health services to people who do not have social security, reported the suspension of surgeries “because it is no longer possible to guarantee the right to health and life of patients due to the lack of supplies and medicines.”
At a press conference on Wednesday, January 8th, the medical staff denounced that the bureaucratic complications arising from the transition to IMSS Bienestar have stopped the supply of supplies to the hospital since November 2024.
Source: OEM
