Health care, which includes drug benefits, is accessible through health insurance coverage for the employed. Private clinics, for people who can afford to pay for services, are also available. In urban and rural areas, the middle and lower social classes may use traditional healers and, when available and affordable, government medical programs. Despite a shortage of medical doctors, many communicable diseases have been completely eradicated in Mexico. This improvement in health care has been particularly effective in the rural areas. Population growth, however, continues to hamper efforts to provide medical care. Some women and children under five years of age are given a package of basic health services and a food supplement. This is intended as a preventive health care measure. Today, the majority of the population has access to public or private services. Three-fourths of this majority use public health care services. Emergency medical care is available and accessible to everyone regardless of employment status, but wealthy people can afford better medical care. Recently, designing health plans and providing coverage to the uninsured population has become the responsibility of the government.

Did you know? Mexico has one of the most effective drug crop eradication programs in the world.