The Year in Health: New Leadership, High Expectations

In 2024, Mexico underwent a political change that brought transformations in numerous sectors, including healthcare. The sector also saw key developments in digitalization and personalized medicine. However, challenges related to regulation and disparities in access to healthcare services persist, highlighting the need to continue advancing toward a more accessible and efficient model.

Mexico's Healthcare Landscape and Path Forward

This year marked the conclusion of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's administration. While several advances were made, the new administration will still have to grapple with continuous challenges affecting the healthcare sector. For example, collaboration between the government and the private sector is a critical area that needs attention, as their poor alignment hinders the development of new technologies and research that could drive innovation and enhance public health, according to Vicenzo D’Elia, General Manager, Algasigma.?

Another major issue centers on ensuring equitable access to healthcare and medications. About 75% of Mexicans rely on the public healthcare system, which faced disruptions from frequent changes in government purchasing policies that created uncertainty and affected medication availability, explains Rodrigo Fernández, Senior Vice President and General Manager Latin America, Teva Pharmaceuticals.?

Recognizing these challenges, the new administration under President Claudia Sheinbaum is introducing a comprehensive healthcare agenda that aims to address systemic shortcomings and improve access and quality of care. Her administration has committed to strengthening universal healthcare through the IMSS-Bienestar program to ensure that all citizens have access to vaccines, surgeries, medications, and preventive care at no cost, as reported by MBN.

Additional plans include the creation of "Pharmacies for Wellbeing" to provide free essential medications, the rollout of a national surgery program for cataracts and knee replacements, and the implementation of a maternal and infant care program to support early childhood development. Another flagship initiative is the "door-to-door" healthcare program for senior citizens, which aims to mobilize over 20,000 healthcare professionals to deliver in-home health assessments and services.

To address rising public health concerns such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, the administration launched a nationwide education campaign promoting healthier lifestyles. This initiative gains relevance as chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD) have become the one of leading causes of death among Mexicans, mirroring a global trend where these conditions are responsible for 41 million deaths each year, according to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP).??

This year, the new plan brought a sense of optimism as well as reassurance that the changes would not disrupt the stability of the health sector. “We hope the new government will achieve its healthcare goals, which will benefit the Mexican people. A positive aspect is that the transition is expected to maintain continuity, as it is the same political party.? A consistent approach will benefit healthcare companies, which also make long-term investments,” says Agustín Manzo, Vice President and General Director, Medline.?

However, the recently announced 2025 economic package reveals that the budget for public health activities for federal and state agencies would see a 12.2% reduction in real terms, dropping from? MX$962.4 billion (US$48.12 billion) in 2024 to MX$881.1 billion, as reported by IMCO.This situation raises doubts about the likelihood of achieving the proposed healthcare objectives.

A Year of Digital and Personalized Medicine

Despite the numerous barriers that persist in the healthcare sector, the country has made steady progress in the adoption of innovation and technology, which are poised to transform healthcare across the nation.

Significant progress was made in 2024 toward digitalization and personalized care as Mexico's healthcare industry continued to evolve into a more integrated and advanced system, with a strong emphasis on digital transformation. For example, IMSS started advancing its Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, which will serve as the foundation for a national platform that will store the medical histories of the entire population, as reported by MBN.

The industry also prioritized enhancing the accessibility and security of patient information, improving diagnostic capabilities, and supporting research initiatives. This shift also extended to the rise of digital hospitals, which address barriers related to geography, mobility, and cost, offering patients high-quality care and follow-up from the comfort of their homes, according to Enrique Remezal, CEO, ICON Group.?

Furthermore, the sector also saw advances in personalized medicine, particularly in areas like genomics and cancer care, which are expected to play a key role in shaping the future of healthcare delivery. Furthermore, innovations such as cell therapy aimed at improving patient outcomes continued to evolve.?

Preventive medicine also gained momentum, with increased focus on early diagnosis and proactive health management, especially for chronic conditions. “There has been a? significant shift toward proactive health management, effective stress control, healthy weight maintenance, and active nutrition,” says Karem Sánchez, Country Manager, USANA Health Sciences.

Advances in AI integration into healthcare processes also continued, with a strong push toward using AI to expand coverage and improve care quality. However, regulatory uncertainty remains a challenge, as a clear framework is needed to fully harness the potential of AI in healthcare.??

“The lack of regulations prevents companies from offering digital health solutions to those public providers. More regulation would help increase access to these technologies. Underregulation persists partly because technological development often outpaces the law,” says Juan Luis Serrano, Partner, Sánchez Devanny, to MBN.