Retired oil workers protest as Oaxaca hospital faces critical shortages

Retired oil workers in Juchitán have taken to the streets to protest ongoing shortages at a local hospital. The demonstration highlighted severe gaps in medical supplies, specialist staff, and delays in patient care funding.

The protest targeted the Oaxacan Women’s and Children’s Hospital, a facility built to reduce maternal mortality in the region. Demonstrators demanded urgent action over shortages of essential medications and laboratory supplies.

Doctors at the hospital have repeatedly warned about a critical lack of specialists. With 120 beds available, the facility struggles to operate effectively due to understaffing. Pediatrician Saray Reyes emphasised that advanced infrastructure means little without trained professionals to run it. Severely ill patients often face transfers to other hospitals because the necessary expertise is unavailable. The protest also raised concerns over delays in reimbursing travel costs for these transfers, adding financial strain to families already under pressure.

The shortages at the hospital remain unresolved, leaving patients and staff in difficult conditions. Without more specialists and reliable supplies, the facility’s ability to serve Oaxaca’s most vulnerable continues to be at risk.