▲ Zoé Robledo, Clara Brugada, president Claudia Sheinbaum and David Kershenobich during the inaugural event.Photo Victor Camacho
Alma E. Muñoz
La Jornada Newspaper
Sunday, January 18, 2026, p. 3
Yesterday, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo inaugurated the Ignacio Zaragoza General Hospital, of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), which replaces clinic 25, demolished after the structural damage it suffered in the 2017 earthquake.
It took eight years to complete this new hospital, already with 53 days of operation, more than 192 hospital beds and 184 non-registration beds, state-of-the-art equipment and which will serve 500 thousand beneficiaries. The work had an investment of 2,435 million pesos.
While announcing that credentialing for the unification of the universal health system will begin between February and March – with a goal of 130 million Mexicans – the President recognized the complications in building this hospital.
Once he highlighted the work of military engineers in this work, Sheinbaum pointed out that “a very important effort” is being made in health, after years of abandonment of the so-called neoliberal period. “Seven years ago it was decided that there would be a new health system for entities that wish to join,” he said.
In addition to strengthening the IMSS, the Issste and the IMSS-Bienestar, “we are building new health centers and hospitals,” he added.
He mentioned that for 40 years, starting in 1982, hospitals were built that, together, have 30 thousand beds, and between that year and 2018, “which is the neoliberal period,” only 4 thousand beds were added.
Now, in 12 years, including the López Obrador administration, there will be 10 thousand; “That is, more than double that of neoliberalism,” and in addition, there will be new hospitals from the three systems, he continued.
He indicated that all Mexicans will enter the new health credentialing process and “will know the clinic, center or hospital that corresponds to them,” in addition to having a single medical record.
The president also announced that the health centers will have a laboratory and drug service. “We are moving forward little by little, so that everyone has their medicine.”
Previous governments “saw access to health as a commodity, we believe in the welfare state, and the State is obliged to provide it,” he said.
The head of the capital’s government, Clara Brugada, highlighted that clinic 25 “has been an emblematic symbol of the eastern part of the city and the valley of Mexico,” which includes, in addition to Iztapalapa, Nezahualcóyotl. And now, “it confirms our vision of health as a right.”
In 2017, the clinic suffered serious structural damage, which compromised its stability and forced its definitive closure, after 50 years of history.
“That same day, the Mexico City IMSS lost 272 census beds, 46 offices, nine surgical rooms, nine operating rooms and six X-rays, in addition to 1,200 workers being relocated to other units,” explained Zoé Robledo, head of the IMSS. He added that 400 thousand beneficiaries were affected by the situation.
He mentioned that the hospital – with various specialties – has been operating for 53 days. “As of January 15, it already shows its capacity, with 1,228 hospital discharges, 271 surgeries, more than 6,700 radiology studies,” among others.
Roberto Márquez, a resident of the area, stated that the launch of this hospital “will change the life of the eastern part of the city.”
