Demolition Begins on Cancún’s Old General Hospital to Make Way for Maternal and Child Hospital

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Demolition work has begun at the abandoned General Hospital of Cancún, clearing the site for a new maternal and child hospital run by IMSS-Bienestar with a projected investment of nearly 640 million pesos (about $34 million) for construction and equipment.

The municipal government is carrying out the demolition, scheduled to run from Sept. 21 to Nov. 14. Officials urged residents to avoid the area while heavy machinery is in operation.

More Than 100 Beds and Three Operating Rooms

The new Hospital Materno Infantil de Cancún will have more than 100 beds, seven consultation rooms and three operating rooms. It will offer specialized services in neonatology, pediatrics, gynecology, obstetrics, perinatology and emergency care, along with neonatal intensive care units.

The facility will also include a laboratory, pathology and diagnostic areas, among them an X-ray room with fluoroscopy, two portable X-ray units and two ultrasound machines.

27 to 40 Births a Day in Cancún

According to data from the Civil Registry of Benito Juárez, the municipality records an average of 27 to 40 births per day, a figure that illustrates the demand the new hospital will serve.

Officials said the facility will give women greater safety during pregnancy, bring specialized services closer to mothers and provide newborns with care backed by trained staff, technology and appropriate facilities.

36 Years of History, a Decade of Abandonment

The old General Hospital began operating 36 years ago, functioned for 27 years and sat abandoned for nearly a decade before the site was recovered.

In a joint operation, Cancún police and several municipal agencies secured the building and provided comprehensive care to 26 people who had been living in and around it: 23 men, two women and a 16-year-old boy. They were taken for medical and psychological evaluations and, depending on each case, offered care and support through the Municipal Institute Against Addictions (IMCA).

People and Animals Rescued Before Demolition

The operation involved the Specialized Group for Attention to Family and Gender Violence (GEAVIG), the Missing Persons Search Unit, the Rescue and Medical Emergency Squad (ERUM), Internal Affairs, Human Rights, firefighters, civil protection, Animal Welfare and IMCA.

Eight dogs were also rescued during the operation and placed in the custody of Animal Welfare for assessment and care.