At the World Hygiene Day event organized by the Mexican Ministry of Health, Cecilia Acuña, Health Systems and Services Advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), told public officials that both organizations have made available strategic funds for the purchase of medication. The announcement came in the wake of the surge in complaints throughout the country over the lack of antiretrovirals for HIV treatment. However, there have been no discussions about the supply of cancer drugs so far.

“We are offering Mexican authorities the resources earmarked by WHO and PAHO to purchase high-cost medicines to avoid any shortages,” said Acuña. The proposal was welcomed by the government representatives taking part in the event, including the Undersecretary of Integration and Development of the Health Sector, Asa Ebba Christina Laurel, and the Director of Information of the Mexican Health System, Juan Ferrer Aguilar.

The support pledged by WHO and PAHO has been made against a backdrop of civil protests about the lack of antiretrovirals available to patients in the country. On May 1, the international association AIDS Healthcare Foundation Mexico as well as patients from five states denounced the likelihood of a national shortage of antiretrovirals due to inconsistencies in the drug purchase mechanism implemented by the Mexican government.