The federal government has confirmed million-dollar irregularities in the state-owned company Birmex, responsible for acquiring medications for the health sector.
This situation led to the cancellation of the bidding for the years 2025 and 2026, which left thousands of patients without the necessary treatment and plunged the Mexican health system into an even deeper crisis.
The bidding, the first of the current six-year term, was annulled after a suspected embezzlement of more than 13 billion pesos was detected. Several of the products hadn't even reached clinics or hospitals.
As a consequence, hundreds of vulnerable families, such as those with children suffering from rare diseases, have been forced to pay for treatments with their own resources.
An affected mother reported that she paid 3,500 pesos for some drops for her child with a visual condition, as there was no other alternative. The story repeats across the country, the overpricing of medications has pushed relatives to take up to three jobs to afford treatments.
Hospitals affected by the shortage
Besides the suffering of families, the hospital system is also facing a collapse. Studies confirm that between 2022 and 2025, at least 124 public hospitals and clinics had to close or suspend services due to lack of medical supplies.
The most affected entities are Veracruz, Guerrero, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Estado de México, and Michoacán, where the shortage has become critical in rural areas.
Specialists warn that many of these closures have left entire communities without medical attention. In several cases, the units have been abandoned, while in others they only operate partially, without medications or sufficient staff.
