Hospitals of the Issste, in a chronic-degenerative state: Zenteno

Enrique Mendez and Georgina Saldierna

Newspaper La Jornada
Wednesday, October 12, 2022, p. 13

The hospitals and clinics of the Institute of Security and Social Services of State Workers (Issste) are in a chronic-degenerative situation, since they stopped investing in their infrastructure, which on average is 45 years old, has shortcomings and it did not grow at the rate of entitlement, said the agency’s director, Pedro Zenteno Santaella.

During a four and a half hour appearance before members of the Health Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, the official described political fiction the accusations raised by legislators against officials of the institution.

He also highlighted that 70 percent of the institute’s budget goes to pension payments, which in 2022 amounted to 396 thousand 948 million pesos.

The deputies, including those from Morena, complained about the lack of medicines and consultations in specialties. Specifically, they referred to problems that afflict their states of origin. For example, last year, 54 million were approved for the expansion and remodeling of a clinic in Uruapan, but very few resources have been applied. They expressed concern, because money is approved, but not exercised.

The PAN Santiago Torreblanca referred to officials with two salaries and who hire aviators. In particular, he highlighted that the director of administration, Almendra Ortiz, contracted by direct award to the company Imedic, to provide imaging, endoscopy, biopsy and pathological anatomy services. She added that the company has not provided the service for three months, but the amount of the contract of 154 million pesos is paid month by month.

The Issste director responded to the PAN member that what he raised is false. There is a lot of political fiction, I would say the classic, he stressed, emphasizing that it is impossible to collect two salaries. Regarding the case of Imedic, he explained that hiring him will generate savings of 400 million pesos. But if there is evidence of corruption, go ahead.

Zenteno Santaella stressed that previous administrations left the institution as a shell Y in the bones. He exposed that subrogated even the light cable.

In his opening speech, he highlighted that the Issste has been in existence for almost 63 years. He was born when there were 500 thousand beneficiaries. Today it has about 14 million, of which only 3 million are listed.

With 10 months in the post, the official said that a fundamental problem is in the infrastructure, because its medical units are overwhelmed.

Similarly, he pointed out that state and municipal government agencies owe the institute 80 billion pesos, since they did not deliver the contributions that they withheld from the workers. This put pensions at risk. He stated that the current administrations are regularizing their payments. Zenteno Santaella asked the deputies to approve the requested budget for next year, pointing out that hospitals will be built and the acquisition of equipment will continue, since there were no stethoscopes.

Regarding the supply of medicines, he said that 97 percent of the keys have been supplied.