León, Guanajuato – This weekend, a group of cancer patients, their families, and civil-society groups staged a white-clad march through downtown León to protest the persistent shortage of chemotherapy and oncology medications across the country. The demonstrators gathered at the emblematic Arco de la Calzada at around 10:30 a.m. and proceeded along Calle Madero toward the municipal presidency, carrying plush toys to symbolize the children most impacted by the treatment gaps.
Chants like “Queremos soluciones” (“We want solutions”) and “Nuestros niños necesitan medicamento” (“Our children need medication”) echoed through the streets as protesters demanded urgent action from the federal health system, particularly IMSS Bienestar. Signs underscored a shared frustration: “Yo estoy luchando todos los días, ¿Y tú gobierno federal, qué estás haciendo?” (“I fight every day—what are you doing, federal government?”), and “IMSS Bienestar, desastre nacional” (“IMSS Bienestar, national disaster”).
They marched under the banner of “Marcha Nacional Queremos Medicinas”, a synchronized protest occurring in several states—including Aguascalientes, Jalisco, and Mexico City—highlighting the nationwide scope of the crisis.
Experts trace much of the crisis to systemic reforms initiated under the López Obrador administration. Since 2019, procurement responsibilities have been shuffled among various entities—including IMSS, the Treasury, INSABI, UN agencies, and Birmex—without establishing stable protocols to manage supplies effectively. At one point, over 24 million fewer medications were dispensed between 2019 and 2020, with cancer treatments among the hardest hit. Early 2022 saw oncology services at their lowest level in at least six years.
The marchers in León are demanding that federal authorities re-establish consistent, transparent supply chains for essential oncology medications. Advocates are also calling for a reliable data infrastructure—including a fully functional cancer registry—to inform future decisions and prevent preventable treatment gaps.
While the “Marcha Nacional Queremos Medicinas” underscores a growing public outcry, it’s now up to health agencies to respond swiftly—actions that could make the difference between life and death for many patients.
