To put an end to the rumors that have arisen in recent months, the head of the Ministry of Health (SSa), Jorge Alcocer, stated that there is a correct supply of medicines in our country. He added that derived from the purchases of the Health sector 2021-2022, to date 657 million pieces of medicines and healing material have been distributed to institutions in the sector, acquired by the Institute of Health for Well-being (Insabi) and the Office of the United Nations Project Services (Unops).
Total pieces available
He also explained that from February 28 to March 11, 81 million 617 thousand 099 pieces of medicines are distributed in the 32 entities of the country, derived from the contractual extension of purchases 2022. With this, the supply is guaranteed greater than 95 percent of the keys requested for the first semester of the year.
He reported that with the support of logistics operators, in recent days eight million 660 thousand 898 pieces of drugs and Healing material. And another 11 million 079 thousand 531 pieces of biological, controlled, cold network, dry network, healing material and vaccines are in transit. This guarantees the supply of medicines during the first half of the year.
Alcocer Varela explained that during the week of February 20 to 26, 318,550 pieces of personal protective equipment were delivered to seven entities. Of which 288,000 were distributed by the Secretary of National Defense (Sedena) and 30,500 by the Secretary of the Navy (Semar). The accumulated distribution in the first two months is three million 187 thousand 536 pieces.
As of the most recent cut, logistics providers and operators have distributed 657 million pieces of biological, controlled, cold network, dry network, healing material and vaccines. #ThePulseOfHealth pic.twitter.com/8qN8DJjY95
– HEALTH Mexico (@SSalud_mx) March 1, 2022
Through the Last Mile Distribution Plan, this year Insabi, with the support of Sedena and Brimex, has delivered 13,486,357 pieces of medicine to 1,077 health units in 14 states.
To complete the supply of medicines, he explained that from February 19 to 24, 2,623 oncological mixtures were prepared for patients from the National Cancer Institute, Hospital Juárez de México, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (INER) and Hospital General de México. In addition, the Ixtapaluca Regional Hospital of High Specialty is in the process of adhering to this mixing center.
Current situation of the epidemic and vaccination against COVID-19
The Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez, highlighted that for the fifth consecutive week the reduction in the number of active cases of COVID-19 continues, and at this time it stands at 0.8 percent.
“Hospitalization indicators also continue to decline, so only 18 percent of beds for general use and 12 percent of those with a ventilator are occupied.”
Mortality registers an absolute reduction of 82 percent with respect to the peak of the epidemic and in about half of the 32 states there have been no deaths for two or three consecutive days.
He reiterated that the opening of schools is not an element of increased risk of COVID-19 contagion, since of a total of 114,882 schools that notify the system, only 0.08 percent have been affected by COVID-19, such as the temporary suspension of face-to-face classes in a group or on campus.
He did not rule out the possibility of reducing health restrictions to the extent that the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 continues to decline. He acknowledged that 90 percent of people have followed directions during the pandemic.
Referring to vaccination, he reported that more than 182 million doses have been supplied to 85.2 million people. 93 percent of them have a complete regimen and seven with a first dose.
The general coverage is 90 percent throughout the country with some variations in the states. In people over 18 years of age, the scope is 90 percent and in adolescents from 14 years of age, 53 percent.
Regarding the Patria vaccine being developed in Mexico, he invited the population to participate in phase II of the clinical trial, for which they can register at this link and he hoped that from the second semester the third phase will begin. It will be used as a booster in the vaccination scheme.