IMSS Expands Public Healthcare Services with 11 New Hospitals

Mexico’s Social Security Institute (IMSS) is expanding public healthcare infrastructure with five hospitals already in operation and six additional facilities scheduled to open in 2026. The expansion aims to increase hospital bed capacity, enhance specialized services, and improve access for patients across Mexico.

“More hospitals and more beds mean effective access, ” says Zoé Robledo, Director General, IMSS. He highlights that the current administration has doubled hospital bed additions compared with the previous six decades combined, adding 10,100 beds in 12 years compared with 4,300 in 36 years under prior governments.

Between 2018 and 2024, IMSS added 3,944 hospital beds, with 776 more incorporated in the current administration. Robledo says that the historical underinvestment in public hospitals contributed to overcrowding and prolonged waiting times. The recent expansion seeks to respond to growing demand and improve coverage in underserved regions. The institute’s goal is to reach 45,000 total beds by 2030, an increase of 10,000 from current levels.

The five hospitals already operational are located in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua; Ensenada, Baja California; Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas; Carmen Serdan, Puebla; and Zaragoza, Mexico City. These facilities restore capacity lost when previous hospitals were closed, reinforcing healthcare infrastructure in strategic regions and contributing to better service availability.

IMSS has also reported increased service delivery in 2025, performing 1.78 million surgeries, a 29% rise over 2024, and increasing specialty consultations by 22%. Family medicine visits reached 104 million, exceeding targets. Operational strategies include extended shifts, weekend services, and additional consultation slots, which helped reduce waiting times for high-demand procedures such as cataract, gallbladder, and hip surgeries. Despite these gains, Robledo acknowledges capacity constraints persist due to workforce shortages, infrastructure gaps, and ongoing demand growth.

Six new hospitals are scheduled to open in the coming months, featuring modern equipment, high-specialty services, and comprehensive staffing. Key projects include:

• Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche: Hospital de Gineco Pediatría No. 15, which will have 74 beds, three operating rooms, and intensive care units for adults, children, and newborns. Equipment includes tomography, ultrasonography, mammography, and a clinical laboratory. Staffing is projected at 851.
   

• Hermosillo, Sonora: HGZ No. 15 “Ramos Bours,” will have 115 beds, five operating rooms, and advanced diagnostic tools including tomography, resonance imaging, and ultrasonography. The facility will operate as a university hospital with a planned staff of 1,476.
   

• Navojoa, Sonora: A 164-bed hospital with 90 hospital beds and advanced diagnostic services. Staff recruitment for specialists is ongoing.
   

• Guanajuato: This hospital will expand from 20 to 120 beds, with five specialized outpatient consultation areas for psychiatry, nephrology, oncology, geriatrics, and infectious diseases. Construction is 79% complete.
   

• Tula de Allende, Hidalgo: This hospital will expand from 40 to 144 hospital beds and 154 non-censable beds, integrating services with IMSS Bienestar to provide care to patients with and without social security. A Family Medicine Unit has been operational since September 2023.
   

• Ticul, Yucatán: A 94-bed hospital with five operating rooms and 14 specialties. It will offer advanced diagnostic and treatment equipment for tomography, mammography, ultrasonography, hemodialysis, and adult intensive care. Planned staffing is 815.
   

Robledo says that these hospitals are equipped with high-specialty services and modern diagnostic and therapeutic technology, designed to ensure operational readiness immediately upon opening. He stresses that the expansion represents a strategic recovery of public healthcare infrastructure, targeting regions with the greatest need and aiming to double bed availability within the administration’s term.

The hospital expansion aligns with broader IMSS operational improvements. Increased surgeries, specialty consultations, and primary care visits reflect both infrastructure growth and organizational reforms designed to improve service delivery. IMSS has also restructured child care services, formalizing land acquisitions in the State of Mexico to build centers for over 30,000 children, integrating educational, health, and nutrition services, further extending the institution’s social mandate.

IMSS officials describe these developments as part of a comprehensive plan to modernize healthcare and social services, expand capacity, and respond to rising demand driven by population growth, aging, and chronic disease prevalence. With these new hospitals and continued operational improvements, IMSS aims to strengthen access, reduce waiting times, and enhance outcomes across Mexico’s public healthcare system.