IPS in Pilar again lacks essential medicines

Patients and retirees relying on the Instituto de Previsión Social (IPS) pharmacy in Pilar, Paraguay, are again confronting a critical shortage of essential medicines. The lack of commonly used drugs, such as paracetamol and losartan 50mg, has caused significant distress and prompted urgent calls for replenishment.

Efigenio Ruiz Díaz, a retiree who contributed to IPS for over 30 years, voiced his indignation. He recounted visiting the hospital with a fever but being unable to obtain paracetamol, forcing him to purchase it elsewhere. "One cannot comprehend the lack of medicines in the pharmacy," he stated, highlighting the difficulties faced by contributors.

Another patient, Ramón González, expressed concern over the unavailability of losartan 50mg, a vital antihypertensive medication. He noted its high demand among patients requiring consistent treatment for hypertension, underscoring the impact of the shortage on chronic care.

A pharmacy employee, who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisal, confirmed the medication shortages. She attributed the problem to issues occurring at a national level. Gilda Espinoza, the director of the IPS Regional Hospital in Pilar, acknowledged that current stock levels are depleted. She explained that the medications received for the current month have already been distributed and that the hospital is awaiting a new supply, expected around September 8, which should normalize the pharmacy's availability.

In the interim, insured individuals are compelled to purchase necessary medications from private pharmacies. This situation is particularly worrying for retirees and patients undergoing long-term treatments, who rely on the IPS system for affordable access to their prescriptions.