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ISSSTE Hospital Workers in Hermosillo Protest Dangerous Conditions, Demand New Facility
🇲🇽 Mexico /Health & Science

ISSSTE Hospital Workers in Hermosillo Protest Dangerous Conditions, Demand New Facility

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • ISSSTE hospital workers in Hermosillo, Mexico, intensified protests, blocking a major boulevard to demand a new facility.
  • They cite dangerous conditions including lack of air conditioning, medicine shortages, and insufficient equipment, posing risks to patients and staff.
  • Protesters are demanding a public safety report from Civil Protection and criticize the ineffectiveness of recent equipment donations due to infrastructure issues.

Workers at the ISSSTE "Dr. Fernando Ocaranza" hospital in Hermosillo, Mexico, escalated their protests on Thursday, blocking a key boulevard to highlight what they describe as dangerous conditions and demand the construction of a new hospital. Dozens of employees blocked Boulevard Morelos in front of the facility for four hours, citing years of accumulated deficiencies.

Their primary grievances include a lack of air conditioning, shortages of medication, insufficient medical equipment and specialists, and problems with electrical wiring and water leaks. Protesters dismissed the installation of six portable air coolers as an inadequate response to the extreme heat in Hermosillo, especially after the central cooling system failed.

We know that this is not a safe building to work in, much less to treat patients. We want Civil Protection to present the technical report and explain why it has not been disclosed.

— a spokesperson for the movementExpressing concerns about the hospital's safety and demanding transparency from Civil Protection.

During the demonstration, a spokesperson for the workers voiced concerns that authorities have neglected critical areas of the hospital. They called for Civil Protection to publicly release its safety assessment of the building, stating, "We know that this is not a safe building to work in, much less to treat patients. We want Civil Protection to present the technical report and explain why it has not been disclosed."

The workers also criticized the usability of recently provided federal equipment, explaining that some electric beds remain non-functional due to a lack of operational electrical outlets in rooms. Similarly, newly installed oxygen outlets lack necessary accessories. "They send us equipment, but it is not compatible with the hospital's infrastructure. Instead of solving the problem, they create a new one," a worker stated. They also warned that recurring electrical failures pose a significant risk to patients dependent on life-support equipment, particularly with the approaching rainy season, which exacerbates existing issues like flooding.

They send us equipment, but it is not compatible with the hospital's infrastructure. Instead of solving the problem, they create a new one.

— a workerDescribing the challenges of using new equipment due to the hospital's outdated infrastructure.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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