- Although it is a crime, since 2020 the IMSS has accumulated 54 complaints for acts of discrimination committed against patients.
- Social Security is also the authority with the highest number of complaints for violations of Human Rights in the country.
- Currently, the Institute has a health team made up of 146,000 nurses and more than 84,000 doctors.
In all units of Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) there are signs at the entrance that ensure that acts of discrimination are not allowed. In most cases there is respect for patients, but there are also some cases in which the law is not followed. As always, exceptions to the rule affect the entire guild.
To begin with, since its creation in 1943, Social Security has established itself as the basis of Mexican public health. only at present It has registered more than 60 million beneficiaries, that is, almost half of the national population.
On the other hand, as stated by the Hippocratic Oath, all patients should be provided the same service. There can be no favoritism but neither can someone be denied attention. Although in practice everything is very different because sometimes the IMSS does commit acts of discrimination.
A typical day at IMSS
Before moving forward, it is necessary to indicate what is done well. Currently the Institute has a health team made up of 146,000 nurses and more than 84,000 doctors. On a typical day in the Ordinary Regime it grants 404 thousand 118 consultations, of which 303 thousand 469 are Family Medicine, 54 thousand 335 Specialties, 9 thousand 938 dental and 36 thousand 916 Emergencies.
In addition, an average of 832 deliveries, 2,852 surgeries, 710,350 clinical analyses, 50,768 radiodiagnostic studies, 11,338 echosonography, 6,668 tomography, 237 cardiopulmonary physiology, and 901 magnetic resonance are attended. In addition, 15,401 sessions of Inhalation Therapy, 1,844 of Radiotherapy, 7,529 of Hemodialysis, 21,215 of Physical Medicine and 1,488 of Nuclear Medicine, among others.
What are the acts of discrimination committed by the IMSS?
To begin with, there are discriminatory acts committed by Social Security personnel and livelihood is the most recent research from the Eme Equis magazine. According to the National Council to Prevent Discrimination (Conapred), only from 2020 to March 2023 there were more than 54 complaints for this reason.
By delving deeper into the subject, it is obtained that in 2020 22 complaints were filed; in 2021 there were 12; in 2022 there were 13; and in the first three months of 2023 there were 7.
He @Your_IMSS accumulates complaints in @CONAPRED and @CNDH for mistreatment and discrimination. Dafnet went for a sprain and was accidentally cut: “I came out of the emergency room with my foot in a cast and with stitches on my leg.” ✒️ @FridaMendoza_https://t.co/ItEvk9TegA
— Emeequis (@emeequis) July 5, 2023
In addition, the journalistic work also mentions the main causes of discrimination that have been reported and are the following:
- sexual orientation
- Skin color.
- Gender.
- Health condition.
- Disability.
- Religion.
- Legal condition.
- Physical appearance.
- Pregnancy.
- Age.
In addition to all of the above, there is another problem. According to National Human Rights Violation Alert Systemfrom 2014 to 2022 the IMSS is the authority with the highest number of complaints for violations of Human Rights in the country.
As part of the statistics, in 2014 there were 1,542 complaints; in 2015 there were 2,185; in 2016, 2074; in 2017, 2634; in 2018, 2,532 were presented; in 2019 there were 3,374; in 2020 there were 3,373; by 2021 there were 2,704 and in 2022 there were 3,789.
Although in the end all the figures seem small compared to all the daily care that is offered, the IMSS acts of discrimination They should be a wake up call. These types of actions cannot be allowed in any health institution.
Also read:
Senators seek to end discrimination against LGBTTTI patients in IMSS and ISSSTE
IMSS claims to be at the forefront of human rights within the health sector
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