MEXICO CITY — The Movimiento Ciudadano (MC) caucus in the Mexican Senate has issued a stark denuncia regarding the acute shortage of medications used to treat chronic pain, palliative care, and cancer patients across the country, with a particular focus on the state of Campeche. The senators challenged President Claudia Sheinbaum’s recent assertions that reports of medical shortages are being amplified by social media algorithms.

Senator Amalia García countered the President’s narrative, stating that the administration lacks precise information regarding the crisis. “It is clear that the President of the Republic may have the intention of addressing this, but she does not have the accurate information. The information is held by the citizenry, who are documenting these cases,” García said during a press conference. She called for the government to provide truthful data and resolve the shortages immediately.

During the same session, Senator Daniel Barreda Pavón provided a detailed breakdown of the crisis in Campeche. He highlighted severe deficiencies in several key facilities, including the Hospital de Especialidades Médicas, the Hospital Oncológico, and both ISSSTE and IMSS hospitals. According to Barreda Pavón, these institutions are suffering from a lack of opioids and potent analgesics, as well as basic supplies, air conditioning, and available hospital beds.

The situation is reportedly critical in the oncology center, where local MC deputy Pedro Hernández McDonald stated that children with cancer are currently being denied treatment due to a lack of potent pain medications. Hernández McDonald accused local authorities of ignoring repeated pleas from patients.

The local deputy noted a sharp contrast between his findings and the statements made by state authorities, who claim that 85% of medications are currently available in hospitals. To verify the truth, Hernández McDonald requested a visit to several facilities with the coordinator of IMSS-Bienestar, Liliana Montejo; however, he alleged that he was denied entry with his mobile phone, under the pretext that he could not document common areas like the pharmacy.

Senator Alejandra Barrales echoed these concerns, asserting that the medical supply crisis is not localized to Campeche or other states like Zacatecas, Mexico City, and Quintana Roo, but is a systemic issue affecting all 32 Mexican states.