Paraguayan cancer patients demand president stop buying luxuries, provide medicine

Patients at Paraguay's Caacupé Regional Hospital are demanding that President Santiago Peña stop purchasing mansions and airplanes and instead provide essential medicines and supplies. Cancer patients, who rely on continuous treatment, face dire shortages, forcing them to find their own resources.

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President Santiago Peña, stop buying mansions and airplanes; what we need are medicines.

Perla Pérez, a cancer patient, shared her struggle, explaining that she has had to sell her belongings and organize raffles to fund her treatment. She highlighted the immense cost, estimating it at around 30 million Paraguayan guaranis per month, a sum largely unattainable for most Paraguayan families. "Cancer is a very difficult disease, and no one should have to go through this," she stated, visibly distressed.

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Cancer is a very difficult disease and no one should have to go through this.

Other patients have labeled the government's management as "a disgrace," lamenting the lack of basic supplies like syringes and serums. They argue that this scarcity directly impacts patient care and are urgently calling for authorities to ensure a consistent supply of medicines and medical materials. The situation is compounded by reports of patients sharing serums due to insufficient availability.

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The only thing we ask is that the state guarantee our right to health and give us the opportunity to continue living.

Adding to the frustration, one patient, Josías Mereles, was told by hospital authorities that due to the electoral period, "many things cannot be asked of the authorities." Mereles found this response unacceptable, asserting that patient health should not be dictated by a political calendar. This comes despite President Peña and the Minister of Health visiting the hospital over a year ago after a fire and promising comprehensive improvements, which patients claim have not materialized.

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The management of the Government is a disgrace.