The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FCSH) at ESPOL, through its Master’s Program in Public Policy and Management, organized the Second National Public Management Case Competition, an academic initiative designed to promote analysis, innovation, and the development of solutions to real challenges facing Ecuador’s public sector.
This second edition brought together seven teams from six universities across the country: the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (PUCE), the State University of Milagro (UNEMI), the Private Technical University of Loja (UTPL), the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), the Technical University of Manabí (UTM), and the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL).
Participants were challenged to develop proposals addressing the case study “When Hospitals Run Out of Medicines: The Medication Shortage Crisis in Ecuador’s Public Health System (2018–2026),” a pressing issue that affects the continuity of medical treatments and the quality of care provided by the public healthcare system.
Following the evaluation of the written submissions, three teams advanced to the final round of oral presentations: one team from ESPOL and two teams from the Technical University of Manabí. During this stage, finalists presented and defended their proposals before a panel of experts composed of Mauro Calles, Manager of Corpmedec and former Director of Los Ceibos Hospital and the Infectious Diseases Hospital; Rodolfo Zevallos, Technical Medical Director of Los Ceibos General Hospital in northern Guayaquil; and Milton Paredes, faculty member of the Master’s Program in Public Policy and Management and General Coordinator of Graduate Programs at FCSH.
The winning team, representing ESPOL, was composed of Diana Anchundia Yépez, Máximo Ramírez Chávez, and Fafo Gavilanez Camacho. Their proposal, “Trust and Supply Plan: A Comprehensive Solution to Ecuador’s Medication Shortage Crisis in 2026,” presented a three-phase strategy that includes immediate actions to restore medicine availability in priority hospitals, the creation of a specialized agency to modernize procurement and distribution processes, and transparency and citizen participation mechanisms aimed at strengthening public trust in the healthcare system.
The competition was held virtually and consisted of three stages: case analysis, development of a written proposal, and oral defense. Teams were evaluated based on their diagnostic capabilities, creativity, innovation, feasibility of implementation, and presentation quality.
Second place was awarded to the team from the Technical University of Manabí composed of Ximena García, Ida Vera, and José Solórzano. Third place also went to a team from the same institution, represented by Andrea Navarrete, Génessis Pinargote, and Lady Holguín, whose proposal and performance during the final round were highly recognized by the jury.
Through initiatives such as this competition, the Master’s Program in Public Policy and Management at FCSH reaffirms its commitment to educating professionals capable of designing viable solutions to the country’s most pressing challenges. It also strengthens the connection between academia and public administration while fostering collaborative learning opportunities among Ecuadorian universities.
