For a year, 52-year-old Ecuadorian Linda Vidal has been fighting cancer and a rare progressive respiratory disease. She depends on an oxygen concentrator that requires electricity to function. Vidal faces electricity rationing of up to 14 hours a day imposed by the government of President Daniel Noboa due to an energy crisis caused by a severe drought affecting the country's hydropower generation.
Amid scheduled outages, Linda Vidal experiences distress every time her oxygen device shuts off, forcing her to remain seated and calm to breathe. Despite government promises, the energy crisis shows no signs of resolving soon, as experts point out that recovery will be slow. Even if rains were to reach the Mazar reservoir in southern Ecuador, difficulties would still remain, as water levels are below what is necessary for normal hydropower generation.
The situation deeply affects chronic patients like Linda Vidal. According to psychologist Verónica Chávez, the rationing is generating anxiety, distress, and fear among citizens, especially those with illnesses requiring medical equipment like oxygen. The Young Against Cancer Foundation serves 1,400 oncology patients who are also affected by the energy shortage and the uncertainty it brings.
Authorities have suggested using fuel generators and repairing thermal infrastructure, but these short-term solutions would not resolve the immediate problem. For patients like Vidal, switching to a portable, battery-operated concentrator would have a high cost that they cannot afford. Meanwhile, hope for a quick improvement rests on the return of rain to restart hydropower generation in the country.
Linda Vidal, affected by Hodgkin's lymphoma and a chronic respiratory disease, along with her sister who cares for her, face extreme difficulties due to the energy crisis. The uncertainty and fear of her condition worsening make her another victim of the electricity rationing that is deeply impacting the lives of many Ecuadorian citizens, especially those with delicate medical conditions.