Cozumel, Q.R. — The island of Cozumel is working toward expanding its current hospital coverage. During a recent hearing, Mayor José Luis Chacón highlighted the urgent need to expand island coverage with a new hospital.
He reported that the state government has already donated four hectares for the construction of the new hospital that will serve the needs of the island’s population.
In an effort to guarantee dignified and timely medical care for the people of Cozumel, Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez attended the Chamber of Deputies to participate in the hearing “The Construction of the Cozumel Hospital: Free, Universal, and Decent Healthcare,” convened by the Health Commission.
During his Tuesday speech at the San Lázaro Legislative Palace, Chacón Méndez emphasized the importance of addressing a long-standing need for the population and thanked the legislators, especially Representative Pedro Pablo Zenteno Santaella, president of the Health Commission, for opening a space to listen to the demands of Cozumel.
The mayor recalled that the only IMSS hospital on the island was built in 1978 and since then, no significant expansion has been carried out despite the fact that 65 percent of the population depends on this medical service.
He also emphasized that the island’s status exacerbates the situation as the last maritime connection to the mainland is at 10:00 p.m. and the first at 7:00 a.m., leaving residents without access to hospital infrastructure for nine hours.
“The reason is to request your support to build a hospital that will serve more than 100,000 residents and the millions of tourists who visit the island. I deeply thank our governor, Mara Lezama, who has already designated four hectares so that any health institution can establish the new hospital there,” the mayor said.
Chacón Méndez reiterated his appreciation for the support of Quintana Roo’s Secretary of Health, Flavio Carlos Rosado, as well as the backing of business leaders, the education sector and the City Council’s technical team, who are working together to complete this project, which represents a substantial improvement in the quality of life for Cozumel families.
Representative Pedro Pablo Zenteno Santaella emphasized that the issue of island status must be addressed as a priority as it represents specific challenges for ensuring universal, quality healthcare services.
“The construction of a hospital in Cozumel will be a spearhead for improving care on the country’s islands, which face different conditions than the mainland,” he stated.
Also at the hearing were Representative Jennifer Paulina Rubio, president of the Health and Social Assistance Committee, Juan Carlos Pastrana, representative of former Representative Salma Luévano Luna, Willma Padilla Barbosa, president of Coparmex Cozumel and the Peninsular Federation of Coparmex Nacional, Consuelo Natalia Florentini Cañedo, rector of the Autonomous University of Quintana Roo and Rosaura Villanueva Arzápalo.
With this initiative, Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez reaffirms his commitment to follow up and address one of the main demands of the public, joining forces with the state government and the Congress of the Union to make a decent, modern hospital with an island perspective a reality.
