People’s Mañanera October 21

ByPedro Gellert

Every day, President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a morning presidential press conference and Mexico Solidarity Media posts English language summaries, translated by Mexico Solidarity’s Pedro Gellert Frank. Previous press conference summaries are available here.

Universal Breast Cancer Care Model

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the implementation of a universal care model with an investment of 8 billion pesos (US$430 million), financed by IMSS, ISSSTE, and IMSS-Bienestar government health institutions and programs.

The plan includes promotion, prevention, timely detection, diagnosis, and specialized treatment.

32 oncology hospitals for women and 20 diagnostic centers will be built.

By 2026, there will be 1,656 mammography machines that will enable 8.9 million studies to be conducted annually. The aim is to reduce breast cancer mortality by 2027.

La Pastora Oncology Hospital

This is the first hospital of the Universal Breast Cancer Care Model, providing free and humane care to all women.
It will have an investment of more than 300 million pesos (US$16.28 million) and will feature 12 consultation rooms, 22 beds, 2 operating rooms, mammography machines, tomography, X-rays, and a robotic analysis unit.

IMSS: More Surgeries, Consultations, & Medical Care

Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) General Director Zoé Robledo highlighted that the 2-30-100 strategy enabled 1.3 million surgeries to be performed, along with 22.6 million consultations, and 81.6 million studies, with advances of up to 81%.

ISSSTE: Modern Hospitals & Robotic Surgery

The head of the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE), Martí Batres, reported that the “Chetumal” Clinic Hospital was upgraded to a General Hospital and new medical facilities are being built in Rosarito, Baja California, and Tixkokob, Yucatán.

ISSSTE advances in robotic surgery with 41 operations at hospitals in Saltillo, Torreón, and the 20 de Noviembre Medical Center in Mexico City.

More Specialists, More Nurses, More Well-being

Starting this month, 1,330 medical specialists will join the IMSS-Bienestar program along with highly specialized personnel to strengthen care in 486 hospitals nationwide. Each new specialist addresses a concrete need in the healthcare system.

Universal Healthcare System

From January-February 2026, every person will have a healthcare credential with their healthcare institution affiliation information and digital medical record, protected under data privacy rules.

Investigation into Illegal Sale of Public Medicines

The head of the IMSS-Bienestar program, Alejandro Svarch, reported that the Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (Cofepris) detected pharmacies selling public sector medicines and counterfeit products.

President Sheinbaum announced that a criminal complaint will be filed and called on the Anti-Corruption Ministry to explain what legal actions will be taken. She warned that removing medicines from public hospitals to sell them is a crime.

PAN Relaunch: “If they don’t love the people, they least should respect them”

The President questioned the National Action Party’s (PAN) relaunch for its lack of empathy given the emergency affecting thousands of families due to the heavy rains and flooding in six states.

She affirmed that “whoever does not love the people, at least should respect them,” highlighting that the PAN remains “in the same place, with the same people,” lacking sensitivity or real renewal.