Mexico City-. In 2023, Mexico trained more than 12,870 specialists, almost double the number in 2019, and they are being hired by health centers, the director of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) said today.
Zoé Robledo, head of the institute, reported on the progress of the IMSS Wellbeing health plan at the morning press conference at the National Palace, showing the statistics from 2018, when the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office, to 2024, his last year of government.
The figures shown illustrate that in 2019, 6,802 doctors graduated from health facility residences and that in 2020, with more training centers, this number reached 8,258.
At the same time, 25,000 people were stationed (permanent workers), 12 percent of whom had been with the company for more than 11 years and were not permanent employees, but temporary workers.
Regarding the recruitment of specialists in IMSS Wellness, he said that there are already 2,041 doctors who have already completed their training in the 23 states and the advertisement is still open so the number could increase.
He mentioned that yesterday, Monday, the institute's recruitment process began, where doctors could also opt to participate in the IMSS Wellbeing Plan, and was expected to reach 3,500 specialists.
He explained that the IMSS Wellness Model Health Centers, which are the first places where a person arrives in search of health services, offer outpatient consultations and emergencies, and that there are already 13,494 units in the 23 states.
Of these, there are 9,564 in rural areas, many outside municipal seats, and 3,281 in urban areas. These centers have around 28,000 offices, he said.
In conclusion, he said that investments have been made in 6,611 health centers, located among the oldest and most remote locations, with improvements in infrastructure to make the sites more dignified, and 54,000 pieces of equipment have been purchased.
The investment in them amounted to 7,257 million pesos, of which 1,219 pesos were in equipment and the rest in infrastructure, he noted.