Sinaloa Affiliates to IMSS-Bienestar

Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha, IMSS Director General Zoé Robledo and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, signed an agreement to start the federalization of Sinaloa’s health system through the IMSS-Bienestar program. To improve Sinaloa’s health system, an investment of MX$1.735 billion (US$88 million) is necessary, according to Robledo.

“The signing of this agreement is very important as it aims to generalize health services. Sinaloa’s right to health will be fulfilled just as the Mexican Constitution establishes in Art. 4. The population of Sinaloa will have access to a quality health system. General doctors and specialists will be available, as well as 24-hour medical attention at health facilities, clinical studies and medicines. There will also be a big recruitment of physicians,” said the president.

Before the implementation of the program in Sinaloa, a census was conducted to evaluate the state of medical devices, human, financial and material resources and maintenance at medical clinics. The census identified a deficit of 638 general doctors, 436 specialists, 2,135 nursery workers and 47 paramedics. Regarding infrastructure, the census identified a lack of 14 neonatal care units, 27 consulting rooms and 22 medical residences. Also, around 80 percent of the hospitals need waterproofing works. A lack of 2,000 medical equipment units was also reported.

“The federal government will be in charge of the health system in Sinaloa and will guarantee quality and gratuity. It is a challenge that we have assumed. Fortunately, we have finished facing the severe problem of the pandemic and now, all together, we are going to boost the public health system, which is the main goal,” added López Obrador.

As of May 2022, 14 states have already federalized their health systems. It is expected that San Luis Potosi will also sign an agreement to implement the IMSS-Bienestar program in the coming months. Currently the census is being conducted in this state. Until now, a lack of 517 physicians, 1,063 nursery personnel and 190 paramedics has been remarked.

To address the lack of physicians across the country, the federal government published a national call for recruitment and hiring of medical specialists to cover 13,765 vacancies. This decision comes after the controversy caused by the federal government’s decision of hiring Cuban doctors to work in Mexico’s marginalized areas.

During the 75th World Health Assembly, Mexico’s Health Deputy Minister Hugo López Gatell said that universal health systems are indispensable to guarantee social wellness. “Most states in the country are federalizing their health systems to affiliate to the IMSS-Bienestar program, which aims to offer health services to all the population regardless of their social security status,” he said.