Kidney patients and their families gathered outside the Carondelet Palace in Quito on Tuesday to protest the neglect of the public health system, denouncing that around 4,000 people with kidney disease have died over the past two years due to shortages of supplies and medications, while demanding quality treatments and compliance with constitutional health guarantees. He reported that nationwide hospitals are operating at 54% supply capacity, well below the 80 to 90 percent range recommended by the World Health Organization. He further criticized the state’s distribution of generic medications, arguing that changes in bioequivalence can trigger organ rejection. Mientras afuera clamaban “queremos vivir”, desde el Palacio de Gobierno el poder respondió con música a todo volumen para intentar opacar sus voces. @teleSURtv pic.twitter.com/PPxNP9JbnU — Elena Rodríguez Yánez (@ElenaDeQuito) August 5, 2026The Ministry of Public Health is also experiencing structural instability following the appointment of Juan Carlos Aveiga Parra, the eighth minister in the current administration.