Ángeles Cruz Martínez
La Jornada Newspaper
Wednesday, November 5, 2025, p. 17
In the public tenders for the purchase of medical devices carried out from April to date, more than 50 for all supplies, Biological and Reagents Laboratories of Mexico (Birmex) awarded contracts for almost 734 million pieces of syringes, probes, catheters, among others, but the shortage in public health institutions persists because they have requested less than half and, “with work”, deliveries reach half a million units, stated Enrique Martínez, director of the Mexican Pharmaceutical Institute (Inefam).
In the case of medicines, he indicated that the volume acquired so far is 1.3 billion pieces and 900 million have been delivered. It is a higher percentage, but still with a pending margin (400 million) to guarantee the total supply of medical prescriptions.
Meanwhile, suppliers reported that the IMSS-Bienestar began paying outstanding debts from this year and past. They estimated that they have made progress of 30 percent and it has been achieved with conciliation mechanisms and the mediation of the Anti-Corruption and Good Government Secretariat (SABG).
In an analysis of the acquisitions made, after the SABG’s decision to cancel the consolidated purchase tender last April, the director of Inefam commented that there will be other complementary procurement processes, because the institutions had problems identifying their needs and requesting inputs from Birmex.
He explained that of the total number of medical devices purchased, as of September, suppliers had delivered 270 million pieces.
Of the 734 million units awarded, the largest buyer is the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) with 491 million 229 thousand 412, already in August it had received just over 118 million, an advance of 24 percent.
The furthest behind in the same month was IMSS-Bienestar, since of almost 200 million pieces of devices committed to contracts, it had only requested 60 million and received 33.7 million.
Martínez pointed out that the “gap is important,” but he trusted that the new purchasing mechanism for the 2027-2028 period will have better results, especially because it is already in the planning stage and, according to official information, it would be concluded at least four months in advance of the start of the contracts.
This would give manufacturers enough time to complete their production processes. In the case of medical devices, Carlos Salazar, president of the National Association of Health Providers (ANAPS), pointed out that 120 days are required on average, but, above all, he said, the sector needs to be separated from medicines in procurement.
This year, the consolidated purchase was made jointly: medicines, healing materials and diagnostic aids (devices), but for the latter, there is specific regulation and technological innovation is rapid and constant, characteristics that must be taken into account, he noted.
