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Insured patients denounce lack of medicines at IPS of Caacupé

Insured patients denounce lack of medicines at IPS of Caacupé

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Patients at the IPS clinic in Caacupé are reporting a shortage of essential medications for hypertension and diabetes.
  • Individuals are forced to purchase medications out-of-pocket to avoid interrupting their treatments.
  • The IPS director expects supply to normalize with new batches, and a new hospital project is planned for the region.

Patients relying on the IPS clinic in Caacupé are denouncing a lack of essential medications for chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. This scarcity is forcing patients to buy their treatments out-of-pocket to avoid interrupting their care, causing significant concern.

In several occasions I have had to buy the medications to not interrupt my treatment.

— Inés GómezInés Gómez, a patient, described her experience with the medication shortage.

Among the missing drugs are losartan, used for high blood pressure, and metformin, widely prescribed for diabetes. These are permanent-use medications, making regular supply crucial for managing these conditions and preventing health complications. Patients have repeatedly expressed their frustration over the ongoing shortages.

In response, IPS director Doricel Ferreira explained that medication replenishment typically occurs between the 10th, 15th, and 20th of each month. She anticipates that the supply will normalize with the arrival of new batches. Ferreira also mentioned plans for a new hospital construction project for the provisional institution in the Cordillera capital, which aims to expand and strengthen services for insured individuals.

the replenishment of medications is usually done between the 10th, 15th and 20th of each month, so we expect to normalize the supply with the provision of new batches.

— Doricel FerreiraDoricel Ferreira, the IPS director, explained the expected timeline for restocking medications.

Ferreira stated she is not concerned about surprise visits from the IPS Administration Council president, Dr. Isaías Fretes, believing the clinic's general functioning is adequate despite occasional medication shortages. She acknowledged, however, that controlling all aspects of service is difficult due to the high number of patients from various towns in the Cordillera department.

I am not worried about receiving a surprise visit from the president of the Administration Council of the IPS, doctor Isaías Fretes.

— Doricel FerreiraDoricel Ferreira expressed confidence in the clinic's operations despite medication shortages.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.