Renal patients in Quito demand urgent medication amid shortages

Dozens of renal patients and their families gathered outside Quito's Eugenio Espejo Hospital on Friday, June 12, 2026, to urgently demand essential medications. The protest highlighted a critical shortage of drugs vital for their ongoing treatments.

Family members explained that each patient needs at least twelve pills daily, a treatment costing over $1,500 per month. Without these medications, patients risk their kidneys failing again, potentially requiring dialysis. "We are not begging for medicine for our loved ones, but we don't have the money to buy it," said Olga Murillo, mother of a 24-year-old patient. "Even here in the country, there are no pills... it's a right... we suffer daily seeing our children unwell."

Protesters also voiced broader concerns about medicine scarcity across Ecuador. "We are abandoned," stated Santiago Llumiquinga. "How are we going to live if there is no everolimus, no immunosuppressants?" Another affected individual criticized the government's priorities, saying, "The Ministry doesn't listen to us, they don't realize that patients are dying... have some conscience... they don't care about our lives. They lower the price of beer and don't care that patients are dying." The demonstration caused significant traffic disruptions on the 12 de Octubre street during the morning commute.