IMSS and PAHO strengthen hospital infection prevention programs

The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are collaborating to strengthen Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) programs across Mexican medical units. Following an evaluation on August 15, 2026, the partnership aims to identify strengths and areas for improvement in hospital settings.

As part of this initiative, PAHO representatives visited three state representations of IMSS and the “Dr. Silvestre Frenk Freund” Pediatric Hospital at the Siglo XXI National Medical Center. The assessment focused on the eight basic components of the IPC program established by the World Health Organization.

Alejandro Vargas García, head of the Health Planning and Innovation Unit, emphasized that evaluating these programs is critical due to the rise in healthcare-associated infections and the challenge posed by multidrug-resistant microorganisms. These infections can compromise patient safety and service quality by prolonging hospital stays and increasing antimicrobial use. PAHO advisor Ángel Rodríguez Mondragón noted that global studies estimate approximately 10 percent of hospitalized patients contract healthcare-associated infections.