Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Chetumal General Hospital refused to treat a stroke patient during Easter week 2026 because most doctors were on vacation, leaving the man without emergency care.
José Luis Domínguez Leal, 65, who has hypertension and type 2 diabetes, arrived at the hospital with severe symptoms including paralysis on his left side and a fractured leg. Instead of receiving immediate attention, he was told no doctors were available because the administration had granted collective leave from April 1 to 15.
The incident highlights a critical gap in emergency coverage during holidays, as the patient was sent home to wait for medical staff to return. Family members of the affected patient criticized the hospital’s service, saying it is worse than that of the IMSS (Mexican Social Security Institute) clinic because there is no one to turn to in an emergency.
They blamed poor administrative planning for exposing the population to life-threatening risks during the vacation season.
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