Mexico AI governance and public health developments

OECD reports have identified significant deficiencies in Mexico regarding digital governance and public health. Specifically, the OECD noted a lack of audit processes and risk assessment requirements for government-used artificial intelligence systems, as well as higher-than-average mortality rates from preventable causes and lower childhood vaccination rates compared to regional trends.

Recent data from the OECD Digital Government Outlook 2026 indicates that while Mexico utilizes internal review committees, it lacks the post-implementation audits used by countries like Chile, France, and Australia to detect model errors or behavioral changes. Furthermore, the Health at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean 2026 report shows Mexico reports 135 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants from treatable causes and 176 from preventable causes, exceeding Latin American averages of 130 and 167, respectively. Childhood vaccination coverage for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis stands at 78 percent, trailing the regional average of 86 percent.

In response to modernization needs, the Mexican government is moving forward with plans to develop an artificial intelligence system to manage the distribution of medicines and medical supplies. President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced the creation of the Advisory Council for the Digital Transformation of the Health Sector to address persistent failures in the supply chain.

The initiative aims to use artificial intelligence, engineering, and logistics to track approximately 3 billion medical items distributed annually across more than 1,000 hospitals and 15,000 health centers. The system is intended to provide real-time inventory control, optimize distribution routes, and link with digital clinical records to ensure treatment continuity, prioritizing institutions such as the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and IMSS-Bienestar. Rather than hiring private consultants, the administration is utilizing a team of domestic specialists. Full implementation is projected to begin in January 2027.