Health · Healthcare & Policy · 1 hr ago
Mexico’s military health system faces medicine supply pressure
Mexico’s defense chief linked medicine shortages to higher demand after National Guard members joined the military health system.
The system now serves more than 280,000 service members and dependents from the Army, Air Force and National Guard.
Trevilla said the Central Military Hospital fills 72% of prescriptions and has 80% of medicines, while official documents cited in the coverage put prescription filling across the Defense Ministry at 56%.
The figures differ on prescription supplies, and Trevilla said military hospitals have expanded shifts, capacity and staffing.
When patients buy unavailable medicines themselves, they can seek reimbursement, which can take 15 to 40 days.
Trevilla said he would review how to shorten reimbursement times, while President Claudia Sheinbaum said the Defense and Navy ministries have their own purchasing systems.
Mexico’s defense secretary said the addition of National Guard personnel to the military health system has increased demand for care and affected medicine supplies.
Ricardo Trevilla Trejo said the system currently serves 280,000 members of the Army, Air Force and National Guard, as well as their eligible family members.
He said the Central Military Hospital fills 72% of prescriptions and has 80% of its medicines in stock.
El Universal reported that official Army health directorate documents showed the Defense Ministry was filling 56% of prescriptions.
Trevilla cited reimbursement, direct supply and extra purchasing funds as measures to address medicine shortages.
- Who
- Mexico’s Defense Ministry and military health system, led by Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo.
- What
- Increased medical demand following the addition of National Guard personnel has put pressure on medicine supplies.
- When
- October 13, 2026.
- Where
- Mexico’s military hospitals, including the Central Military Hospital.
- Why
- The military health system has had to serve more people after National Guard personnel were incorporated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The addition of National Guard personnel increased demand for medical care in the military health system.
Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo described medicine supplies and measures to address shortages at a news conference.
- People served
- 280,000 military personnel and eligible family members
- Central Military Hospital prescriptions
- 72% filled, according to Trevilla
- Central Military Hospital medicine stock
- 80%, according to Trevilla
- Prescription supply
- 56%, according to official Army health directorate documents cited by El Universal
- Reimbursement period
- 15 to 30 days, or 40 days, according to Trevilla
What people are saying
At this moment, 280,000 members of the Army, Air Force, National Guard and all their eligible family members have to be served.
Specifically, in the case of the Central Military Hospital, 72% of prescriptions are filled and 80% of medicines are supplied.
We will look at whether we can shorten, for example, the time it takes to reimburse patients who bought the medicines themselves.
Sources
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