Background on Mara Lezama and IMSS-Bienestar
Mara Lezama Espinosa, the current Governor of Quintana Roo, Mexico, has been actively working to improve healthcare services in her state. In collaboration with Alejandro Svarch Pérez, the General Director of IMSS-Bienestar (Institute of Social Security and Services for State Workers – Benefits), Lezama aims to enhance surgical care and overall hospital services.
New Surgical Facilities Announced
During a recent meeting, Lezama and Svarch Pérez announced the construction of four new operating rooms (quirófanos) in Quintana Roo. These facilities will be located in Nicolás Bravo, José María Morelos, Kantunilkín, and Tulum. The new quirófanos are expected to support more than 14,000 surgeries in public hospitals by the end of 2024, with an average of 40 surgeries per day.
Additional Healthcare Initiatives
- More than 65,000 specialty consultations and over 600,000 first-contact consultations are projected for this year.
- As part of the “La Clínica es Nuestra” (The Clinic is Ours) program, 185 primary care units will receive attention this year with an investment of over 84 million pesos for strengthening health centers.
Key Achievements and Collaborations
During the meeting, Lezama’s administration signed the donation of 53 plots of land to IMSS-Bienestar, making Quintana Roo the state with the most land donations to the institute in the country. San Luis Potosí follows with 48 donations.
Addressing Healthcare Challenges
The collaborative effort focused on several key areas, including:
- Recruiting specialized medical personnel
- Maintaining, replacing, and equipping medical equipment
- Ensuring the supply of medications and medical supplies
- Improving hospital infrastructure
- Implementing administrative and logistical enhancements
Key Questions and Answers
- Who was involved in the meeting? Mara Lezama Espinosa, Governor of Quintana Roo; Alejandro Svarch Pérez, General Director of IMSS-Bienestar; Maribel Lara Ortega, Coordinator of Projects and Construction at IMSS-Bienestar; Moisés Alejandro Toledo Pensamiento, Coordinator of IMSS-Bienestar in Quintana Roo; Senator Eugenio Segura; Flavio Carlos Rosado, State Secretary of Health; Martha Parroquín, Secretary of Finance and Planning; and José De la Peña Ruiz de Chávez, Head of the Governor’s Cabinet.
- What are the main objectives of this collaboration? The primary goals include analyzing the growing demand for medical services from the uninsured population and developing strategies to address their needs. Additionally, they aim to monitor hospital equipment and operations in Tulum, Nicolás Bravo, Bacalar, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and Isla Mujeres.
- What innovative logistical solution was implemented? An innovative logistics system, supported by Correos de México (Mexican Postal Service), will transport daily samples from 35 health centers to a central laboratory, ensuring free and rapid results for patients—often faster than private sector turnaround times.
