Mexico President claims cancer hospitals have adequate medicine supplies

In her second government report, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that no hospital treating cancer lacks necessary medications. She defended the current administration's health policies, claiming that consolidated purchases ensure timely supply and highlighting the construction of 33 new hospitals, 11 family medicine units, and 36 health centers over the last two years.

However, critics point to systemic issues within the healthcare distribution model. The state-owned company Birmex, which was granted expanded responsibilities for the consolidated purchase and distribution of medicines, has faced significant challenges. Despite being tasked with managing these processes, Birmex has struggled with failed distributions, leading to the use of private companies and the military to fill gaps. Furthermore, the 2025-2026 consolidated purchase process was reportedly annulled by the Secretaría Anticorrupción due to detected irregularities.

Data from Coneval and INEGI indicate that the number of Mexicans without access to health services rose from 20.1 million in 2018 to 44.5 million in 2024. The decentralization of health responsibilities across various institutions, including the Army, Birmex, and IMSS Bienestar, has been cited as a factor in the system's instability.