As of today, Mexico City will have an additional 37,183 square meters of hospital care with the delivery, by 16 donor foundations and companies, of the COVID-19 Temporary Unit for patient care at the Center Citibanamex. The infrastructure that, based on technical analysis, gives rise to a total capacity for 854 hospital beds, 36 for intermediate therapy, as well as facilities for the proper functioning of the medical staff and the provision of specialized services, was formally received by the Secretariat of Health of the Government of the capital of the country.
In a ceremony led by the Head of Government, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, the Carlos Slim, Telmex Telcel and Inbursa foundations, CIE, Walmart, Bimbo, Barcel, Fundación Sertull, Citibanamex, Fundación Alfredo Harp Helú, Coppel, Fundación Coca Cola, Coca Cola FEMSA, CODERE, HSBC and Grupo Infra, represented by the president of CIE Alejandro Soberón Kuri, indicated that they decided to add efforts in response to Dr. Sheinbaum's call. This to face the pandemic together, helping to expand the evaluation and treatment of people infected by the coronavirus. In addition, they expressed their appreciation for the heroic work carried out by health professionals throughout the country.
The Head of Government, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, highlighted that the facilities of the Temporary COVID-19 Unit enabled at the Citibanamex Center, they represent the solidarity and joint work between the private initiative, academia and the Government of Mexico City to face the pandemic and guarantee the health of the inhabitants of the country's capital.
“We are entering Phase 3 of the transmission of the Coronavirus, it is the moment when the greatest contagion is expected. We need much more of this hospital capacity to face what we believe may be the worst scenario in Mexico City and in the Metropolitan Area, and for this reason, this effort that these companies and foundations are making today is essential. So on behalf of all the inhabitants of Mexico City we thank you," he said.
The president of the capital stressed that it is necessary for the population to maintain the preventive measures of Healthy Distance and Stay At Home, with the aim of preventing the spread of the disease. In addition, he said, there are currently 63 public hospitals in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico to care for patients with the disease, so it is necessary to expand hospital capacity during the Phase 3 period.
For his part, the president of CIE, Alejandro Soberón Kuri He affirmed that the authorization of the Temporary Unit reflects the sum of the best capacities of the country by combining: (1) the scientific prestige of UNAM in technical, medical and hospital decisions; (2) the collaboration of the National Institutes of Health in the development of the project; (3) the valuable accompaniment of the Ministry of Health of Mexico City and the deployment of its medical talent that will direct and operate the Unit; (4) the work of a significant number of collaborators from Mexican companies, who gave their best to get this Unit ready in less than 20 days; as well as (5) the commitment shown by the 16 donors by collecting the 700 million pesos to make the infrastructure a reality, half of which were contributed by the Carlos Slim, Telmex Telcel and Inbursa foundations.
The director of the Faculty of Medicine of the UNAM, German Fajardo expressed that: “the National Autonomous University of Mexico, through the Faculty of Medicine, demonstrates once again the commitment and solidarity with the population and its needs, by joining and being part of this great effort of the Slim, CIE and Mexico City in the conceptualization, planning, start-up and operation of this hospital unit without precedent in the history of this country.”
With less than three weeks of work, the delivery of the first stage consists of 234 hospitalization bedsno; an intermediate therapy module with 8 beds; rest, washing and eating areas for medical personnel; pharmacy, warehouses and instruments. This in order that, before the national declaration of Phase 3 and within the framework of the national strategy "All Together against COVID-19", the Ministry of Health of Mexico City can begin to operate the Temporary Unit in as much as you deem necessary. Likewise, the last phases of enabling the two remaining rooms are in progress to reach the total defined capacity. It is important to note that all personnel working in the Temporary Unit will have personal protection equipment for their safety.
Along with the physical spaces for patient care, oxygenation tanks with a total capacity of 35,000 gallons were installed, more than 11,000 meters of copper piping to distribute it in the hospital wards, 17,800 meters of electrical wiring with 4 emergency, as well as food areas that will provide more than 730,400 services to patients and medical professionals, among other supplies that guarantee the best conditions in which medical professionals in Mexico City will perform.
The experience obtained by the 16 donors in the authorization of the Temporary COVID-19 Unit, an initiative promoted by ICD (Inter-American Entertainment Corporation) and coordinated with Carlos Slim Foundation and UNAM, they make it available to other similar initiatives in process, in order to share best practices.
Prior to the delivery event, the Head of Government accompanied by the president of the CIE, the director of the UNAM Faculty of Medicine and the person in charge of equipping the Temporary Unit, as well as a small entourage, toured by the COVID-19 Temporary Unit.
