Introduction

2020/21

Introduction

In 2020, Mexico’s health system went through intense reforms aligned to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s goals, which included the creation of the National Compendium of Health Supplies and the implementation of the Health Institute for Welfare, the latter being a key step toward achieving universal healthcare in the country. Already strained by these changes, Mexico’s health sector faced the unimaginable: a global pandemic that changed the way the world functions and that required the entire health system to come together like never before.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the deficiencies in the health system and the importance of preventive healthcare due to its impact on those suffering from chronic degenerative diseases. It also brought attention to long-neglected issues such as mental health and it accelerated the already powerful digital transformation, changing the way healthcare is provided.

Digitalization trends were already transforming this sector by creating interoperability for care facilities and leveraging big data to create better solutions. During the pandemic, technology also ensured treatment continuity, medication supply and mental healthcare. It also kept hospitalizations in check and created learning and business opportunities.

Throughout the year, the words “collaboration,” “unity” and “help” resonated among industry leaders. Joint work and multisectoral support helped the healthcare supply chain to move forward. It is also important to recognize that at the frontline of the pandemic were all the medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, administrative and technical staff at hospitals. Without their sacrifice and effort, the challenges brought by the pandemic would have been impossible to bear.

Mexico Health Review 2020/2021 has gathered the insights of key industry leaders during the COVID-19 crisis, who share their efforts to thrive in the face of new trends and reforms and transform a challenging reality into a promising future.