Mexico Unveils 120-Day Health Plan as Two Social Security Institutes Hire Over 4,200 Specialists
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum presented a '12 actions in 120 days' plan for the health system at her morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on 3 November 2026, with the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE) and the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) moving in parallel: ISSSTE will hire 1,710 specialist doctors within 120 days and IMSS will recruit 2,500 specialists, more than 4,200 new specialist doctors between the two institutions.
At the conference, ISSSTE director Marti Batres first reviewed work completed in 2025-2026, including 710 new ambulances replacing 486 old ones, 2,275 electric hospital beds and 13 surgical robots in service, 121 operating theatres rehabilitated and equipped plus 47 new ones, 4,078 new specialists taken on, 7,605 workers given permanent posts, and five new hospitals opened in Torreon, Tlajomulco, Acapulco, Tampico and Cuernavaca.
Under ISSSTE's 120-day plan, the institute will build 100 new clinics that join the Universal Health Service, finish rehabilitating and equipping 55 operating theatres to complete work on all of its theatres, keep overall medicine supply above 97%, remodel 64 emergency rooms, double telemedicine consultations, and complete projects including the Oaxaca regional high-specialty hospital.
IMSS director Zoe Robledo said the institute's 8% pay rise has been paid, reaching 565,000 active workers on 27 and 28 October and 370,000 pensioners on 1 November. IMSS will also give permanent posts to 10,939 workers, and its call to recruit 2,500 specialist doctors was published on 3 November, with registration set for 18 and 19 November.
At another conference the same week, the Culture Ministry announced two large events. The Voces Vivas community culture festival took place on 7 November at the Zocalo in Mexico City, with more than 1,000 children and young people from 181 municipalities in 28 states performing in 17 languages. The Original textile and craft fair runs from 12 to 15 November at the Los Pinos Cultural Complex, with 580 master artisans taking part and around 174,000 pieces on show, with free entry.
(Source: Presidency of Mexico)
Source: Presidency of Mexico
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：墨西哥城宪法广场（Zócalo）航拍，国家宫位于广场东侧。照片：ProtoplasmaKid，CC BY-SA 4.0，经维基共享资源。 / Photo: Aerial view of the Zócalo (Plaza de la Constitución) in Mexico City, with the National Palace on its eastern side. Photo: ProtoplasmaKid, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
