Medical Education, Opportunities, Collaborations Advance

Mexico’s Ministry of Health continues recruiting medical professionals as legislators prepare to eliminate the daylight saving time (DST) practice. Meanwhile, local hospitals allied with Mexican and international universities to support education and research.

Here is the Week in Health!

Mexico Needs 154,786 Specialists: Minister of Health

Mexico lacks thousands of specialists across the country but especially in rural areas. To address this need, the Mexican government posted 14,323 job openings to recruit medical specialists but only received 10,920 applications, said Zoé Robledo, General Director, Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS).

Of the open job postings, 6,963 received at least one applicant but 7,360 open positions did not receive any applications. This national recruitment call was launched after President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced a controversial decision to hire Cuban doctors to cover the doctor shortage.

IPN, INCMNSZ to Develop Cell Therapy for Leukemia, Lymphoma

Researchers from the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) and the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador Zubirán" (INCMNSZ) formalized an agreement to develop a cell therapy to treat leukemias and lymphomas. The agreement includes academic exchanges, training, the promotion of scientific and clinical research and the creation of biotherapeutic treatments for the benefit of the population.

WHO, ASCO to Eliminate Inequities in Access to Cancer Treatments

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) allied to improve the quality of oncological care. The partnership aims to reduce the inequalities that exist in access to cancer treatments. Despite the commitment from many UN members to reduce premature mortality from cancer, less than 10 percent of these countries have progressed toward the achievement of related goals.

Tijuana, UC San Diego to Collaborate in Surgical Center

The COVID-19 pandemic strengthened Baja California’s health industry. Tijuana, for example, experienced a 40 percent growth in demand for medical devices and supplies during the first months of the pandemic, according to the Ministry of Economic Development of Tijuana. The city is now collaborating with UC San Diego Health to train doctors at a weight-loss surgery center.

Mexico to Eliminate Daylight Saving Time

For the past few months, Mexican legislators have been discussing the elimination of the DST practice. The proposition has been backed mostly by MORENA, under the argument that DST affects people’s sleep and health. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador recently said that it is likely that his government will remove DST because “the savings are minimal and the damage to health is considerable.”

Experts of the Week

Cristobal Thompson, Executive Director, AMIIF, shared the highlights and findings from the association’s innovation week. Learn them here.

José Antonio Altamirano, CEO, Atfil, spoke of his expertise on local innovation for the health industry. Read more here.

Gilda D’Incerti, CEO & Founder, PQE Group, shared four tips for decision making for business leaders. Find them here.