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    Sheinbaum’s 5 new initiatives to improve the health of Mexicans

    Pabio Posted on

    Federal health authorities announced on Tuesday the five strategic elements of Claudia Sheinbaum’s new health plan, which aims to improve the coverage, quality and accessibility of medical services in Mexico.

    According to Deputy Secretary of Health, Eduardo Clark García, the plan includes concrete actions aimed at expanding medical care to the entire population, focusing particularly on vulnerable sectors and regions with limited resources.

    Claudia Sheinbaum gets vaccinated during her morning presidential press conference by a nurse in front of reportersClaudia Sheinbaum gets vaccinated during her morning presidential press conference by a nurse in front of reporters
    One of Sheinbaum’s initiatives to improve public health in Mexico is to promote widespread vaccination. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

    The plan includes the following objectives:

    1. Expansion of disease prevention and daily health initiatives

    The Sheinbaum government plans to intensify vaccination campaigns, implement initiatives to combat obesity in children and adults, and improve surveillance of chronic diseases by the public health system.

    Last month, the Mexican government announced that it ban the sale of junk food – like chips and soda – in schools across the country from March 2025 to eradicate childhood obesity and promote healthier eating habits among students.

    2. Improve the quality of care by reducing waiting times

    To improve the quality of care in Mexico’s medical clinics and public hospitals, Sheinbaum’s plan first seeks to maximize the potential of existing staff and infrastructure, in part through strengthening the role of nurses.

    A Mexican woman wearing a hospital gown and lying on a hospital bed is given an ultrasound by a doctor who watches the ultrasound on a computer next to her bed.A Mexican woman wearing a hospital gown and lying on a hospital bed is given an ultrasound by a doctor who watches the ultrasound on a computer next to her bed.
    A woman undergoes a breast cancer exam at an IMSS breast cancer clinic in Mexico City. In isolated rural areas, many IMSS facilities do not have such specialized equipment, meaning that not all Mexicans have equal access to necessary care. (Cuartoscuro)

    The initiative will require the presence of clinical treatments and surgical equipment in Mexico’s 282 rural hospitals to guarantee continuous care to populations in isolated communities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This is not always possible at present, as hospitals in these communities often lack full-time doctors, especially specialists and surgeons, and sometimes also do not have treatment, diagnostic equipment and advanced surgical procedures on site, requiring patients to travel to larger population centers for medical reasons. specialized care.

    3. Extension of the IMSS-Bienestar program to all citizens not benefiting from the Mexican social security system

    The IMSS-Bienestar Institute (Mexican National Institute of Social Security and Welfare) will become the source of health care for all Mexicans who do not qualify to enroll in the Mexican Social Security Institute ( IMSS) or The Social Security Institute of State Workers (ISSTE) or the other smaller mosaic of similar institutions for public institutions like the army and Pemex.

    Sheinbaum’s plan aims to ensure free medications for use at IMSS-Bienestar facilities as well as the rehabilitation of Mexican government-run hospital infrastructure, including the completion of dozens of IMSS hospitals that have was under construction during the administration of former President Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-2018) but was never completed.

    An empty lot with a large concrete building, an unfinished public hospital in Veracruz, Mexico.An empty lot with a large concrete building, an unfinished public hospital in Veracruz, Mexico.
    Sheinbaum’s government notably intends to address inequality in access to public health care by prioritizing the completion of dozens of hospitals under construction across Mexico and left unfinished by previous administrations, like this abandoned building from IMSS Hospital in Veracruz. (Archive photo)

    The latter project was initiated by Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who also upgraded more than 500 existing hospitals and clinics run by ISSTE when his six-year term ended in October.

    Sheinbaum’s plan will create a Wellness Physician Program, which will bring together interdisciplinary medical teams to provide comprehensive and timely care in high-demand and rural areas. To encourage the participation of medical personnel, the government will offer monthly salaries of 39,000 to 43,000 pesos and monthly bonuses of 16,000 pesos, as well as financial and logistical support for transportation to rural hospitals, accommodation and professional development.

    4. Improve the supply of medicines and supplies in public facilities

    Another common complaint about the government-run health care system throughout Mexico is the shortage of medicines and medical supplies. In October, the federal government announced it would allocate 130 billion pesos ($6.4 billion) to purchase these items for 2025 and 2026 under a new transparent and efficient system that Clark said would ensure that state-run hospitals and clinics have what they need. treat patients.

    Distribution is expected to begin in March 2025.

    5. Modernization and integration of the Mexican public health system

    With this initiative, the government seeks to improve the quality of medical care by eventually allowing people registered in one of Mexico’s public health facilities to go to the closest public health facility, regardless of whether they are registered with the IMSS, the ISSTE or the IMSS. Bienestar program.

    The director of IMSS, Zoé Robredo, said that this new policy will promote the use of digital records in public health establishments. Currently, 53.7 million public health care participants in Mexico have a digital record, which allows details of patient care to be shared between various institutions.

    With the reports of The Day And The Economist

    Pabio
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