Construction of a new 117-million-peso (US $6.13-million) IMSS hospital in La Paz, Baja California Sur, is slated to start in June.
First announced in September, the new facility will boast consultation rooms for 14 family doctors and seven for preventative medicine to provide health services for the 160,000 beneficiaries of the federal social security program in the municipality.
The new facility is expected to start operating in two years at the latest.
The number of IMSS beneficiaries in La Paz has been on the rise since 2013. The state is the third largest recipient of immigrants in the country, with its population growing by 6% every year.
IMSS representative Homero Davis also explained that the state is the fastest growing in terms of its workforce, meaning that the demand for medical services is growing at the same time.
He said some medical facilities are operating at 150% of their capacity.
In order to meet the growing demand, IMSS recently hired 63 physicians, assigning 24 to La Paz, 20 to facilities in the south of the state, six for Loreto and Comondú and 12 for Guerrero Negro.
Source: BCS Noticias (sp)
