A former nurse is struggling to find a necessary part for her electric wheelchair due to supply chain issues of medical supplies.
Irene Rios said she’s hoping to donate her wheelchair to a friend who needs it, but she cannot find the battery for it.
“It’s so hard to find it,” Rios said after trying dozens of stores and websites. “They don’t have them.”
Channel 5 News reached out to several medical equipment stores, who confirmed there was a limited amount of products due to supply chain shortages.
Alex Trejo, manager of the McAllen-based store Best Medical Supply, said they have been experiencing a back order of all wheelchair accessories for the last year and a half.
“We’re seeing more of a shortage on, you know, the standard commode shower chairs, rollators, walkers, canes, and wheelchairs – especially wheelchairs,” Trejo said, adding that he expects the slowdown to last a few more months.
Rios said she hopes she’ll be able to find an affordable wheelchair battery for her paralyzed friend.
