- Since his arrival at Social Security, in 2020, Cuco has become an ambassador for blood donation.
- In his first season as an ambassador, the canine managed with his charisma to break the record for altruistic blood donations.
- It is currently in the North Decentralized Administrative Operation Body (OOAD), being the only pet friendly delegation of the IMSS.
Since his arrival at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in 2020, coming from a migrant caravan that passed through Mexico City, Cuco, a Creole puppy from Comitán, Chiapas, has strengthened his altruistic work by being the blood donation ambassador It also helps to accompany relatives of patients with COVID and even support surveillance work at the headquarters of the North Decentralized Administrative Operation Body (OOAD).
The first “dog” employed by the IMSS
José Jenaro Olguín Avilés, head of Services and Administration of the Northern Delegation of the IMSS, recounted the support work that Cuco carried out in Social Security hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic and how today, at six years of age, he enjoys of good health, the affection of his co-workers and He even has his employee “credential.”
“What we had done in the pandemic, at hospital 24, was that we sent Cuco so that he could live with the relatives of the patients and since there were many children they grabbed him and Cuco was there. It was the only time he left the delegation for more than eight hours, which was his turn. And so he was for four months of the pandemic. He also arrived chubby because they gave him popsicles ”.
Cuco visited hospitals 24, 27, 41 and 48, “The relatives relaxed, their irritation and frustration from seeing the patient were removed, and then when they told the relatives of the patients that they were going to be intubated, they caressed him further”.
Originally from Comitán, Chiapas, the dog arrived with a caravan of migrants at IMSS Hospital 25, on Calzada Ignacio Zaragoza. The procession continued and he stayed to support the watchmen. When the demolition of the place was carried out, Cuco was rescued and thanks to his calm temperament, he began to win the affection of the Institute workers, who finally adopted him and turned the North delegation in the first and only pet friendly.
“There was cooperation with various workers from the delegation, they paid to train him, they gave him the vaccines. Cuco’s name was the one that originally came from the caravan, which is why he was kept and he was treated to be trained to detect patients with COVID, but unfortunately due to the characteristics of his race, smell and age they did not allow it. As a result of this, Dr. José Antonio Zamudio, head of the OOAD DF-Norte, proposed that Cuco be an ambassador for blood donation.
Canine achieves record in altruistic blood donation
In his first season as ambassador, Cuco managed with his charisma to broke the record for altruistic blood donations, although his work goes further by “Watching out at night, helping the police on patrol, eliminating rat infestations, before there was a rat population here but he has taken it upon himself to eliminate it. It is at festivals, in blood donation drives. He has been the most mediatic of the delegation ”.
For the head of Services and Administration of the North Delegation of the IMSS, Cuco gives a sense of identity to the workers and has become a symbol of this Social Security unit.
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