Querétaro medicine shortages reach 242,000 units, PRI warns

The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in Querétaro has issued a warning regarding persistent medicine shortages affecting both the state and the nation. Abigail Arredondo Ramos, the PRI state leader, reported that 70 percent of Mexicans perceive a shortage of medications, while 58 percent have faced difficulties obtaining necessary treatments.

Data obtained through transparency platforms indicates that Querétaro accumulated a deficit of more than 242,000 essential medicine units during 2024 and 2025. This shortage is attributed to delivery failures within the federal IMSS-Bienestar scheme. The PRI highlighted specific periods of scarcity, including a deficit of 85,000 units between January and March 2024, and 71,000 units between December 2024 and January 2025.

Party leaders criticized the effectiveness of the Megafarmacia del Bienestar, noting that while the program received over 12,000 calls, only 67 prescriptions were reported as filled. The PRI argues that these shortages force over one million households to spend more than 30 percent of their income on private consultations and pharmaceuticals.