Blackout deaths: the grim toll of Ecuador’s energy crisis

An energy crisis has seen regular power blackouts throughout South America. Andersson Boscán reports from Ecuador where the situation is costing lives in both hospitals and homes Gabriela Alvaro’s blood was flowing through a dialysis machine when the power in Ecuador went out nationwide. “Generators can take up to a minute and a half to start,” says Alvaro, 31, whose kidneys stopped functioning eight years ago. She relies on dialysis three times a week. “That minute and a half felt eternal. I remember being afraid that my blood would clot and they wouldn’t be able to return it to my body. That would kill me, of course. I don’t remember much else—I fainted.” It was 5 August 2024, and the latest in a series of scheduled blackouts that left the country in darkness for at least 70 days, with some outages lasting 14 hours. Every Friday the government announces the power outages scheduled for the following week. Life is planned around the affected areas and times. By government mandate, public healthcare facilities are exempt from power cuts, although private hospitals are left to keep running on their own. The Ecuadorian Ministry of Public Health told The BMJ , “Patient care is guaranteed, especially in critical areas such as intensive care units and emergency rooms. Additionally, the safety of patients and the continuity of essential services like …