2017 Earthquakes / Creative Seedbeds

Reconstruction Efforts Still Ongoing. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador reported that the National Program for the Reconstruction of properties and homes affected by the 2017 earthquakes will be concluded in December.  "The reconstruction program will conclude this year. We are counting on the support of the state governments."

Exactly 32 years after the most catastrophic earthquake in the country's history on Sept. 19, 1985, on Sept. 19, 2017, Mexico City was shaken by a 7.1Mw earthquake. Sixty properties collapsed in the city and more than 22,182 properties were damaged, affecting 2,656 businesses, 368 heritage buildings, 117 hospitals and health clinics, 1,936 educational buildings and 326 cultural spaces, in addition to 5,429 hydraulic networks and five damaged roads, according to data from the Commission for the Reconstruction, Recovery and Transformation of Mexico City.

Creative Seedbeds.  Deputy Minister of Health, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, said that the Creative Seedbeds program seeks to combat drug addiction among young people. The program aims to encourage the participation of children and young people in artistic or sports activities that teach them to lead a healthy and drug-free life.

The country is currently facing a drug crisis, especially with fentanyl and methamphetamine. Fentanyl represents one of the most critical healthcare issues for Mexico and the US, becoming a key discussion topic for both countries. According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), fentanyl is a synthetic opioid considered to be 30 to 50 times stronger than heroin and 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. In 2021, there were approximately 70,000 deaths in the US related to fentanyl and in 2022, fentanyl deaths accounted for 66% percent of drug-related deaths in that country. With the price of fentanyl being at its lowest, consumption is increasing in Mexico and the US, according to authorities. 

Recently, López-Gatell said that methamphetamine addiction is a major public health issue in Mexico. Methamphetamines are highly addictive synthetic stimulants that affect the brain and other parts of the body. They are similar to amphetamines, which are used to treat hyperactivity and sleep disorders. Methamphetamines have been the top high-impact drug since 2018, surpassing alcohol. 

IMSS-Bienestar. López Obrador reported that the IMSS-Bienestar program is operating in 16 states. To date, the program has allocated a total investment of MX$2.578 billion (US$150.13 million) in 1,134 medical units, while MX$10.044 billion (US$584.90 million) have been invested in equipment.

The Mexican health system is experiencing a deep transformation. The integration of health services through IMSS-Bienestar aims at offering care to those who are not affiliated to other public institutions, such as ISSSTE or ISSFAM. The IMSS-Bienestar program also seeks to benefit Mexican science by boosting the development of research programs. The federal government expects all entities will operate within the IMSS-Bienestar program by 2040.