Yucatán Launches Dignified Care Initiative with Donation of Bed-Chairs to Public Hospitals

Mérida, Yucatán — In a move to humanize the hospital experience for families of pediatric patients, Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena has delivered 40 reclining bed-chairs to the Dr. Agustín O’Horán General Hospital in Mérida. The chairs, donated by local business leaders through the Yucatán Public Charity Board (Patronato de la Beneficencia Pública), are intended to offer more comfortable and dignified conditions for relatives who often spend long hours or nights at the bedsides of loved ones.

Of the 40 units donated, 30 will be placed in the pediatric wing, and 10 will go to the pediatric oncology area. Hospital director Dr. Juan Carlos Arana Reyes said the beds would replace old, deteriorating chairs that had not been updated by previous administrations, despite the ongoing demand.

Governor Díaz Mena said this marks the beginning of a broader campaign aimed at transforming public healthcare in the state. “We are launching a health renaissance in Yucatán. This delivery is the first of many to ensure that care in our hospitals is not only professional, but compassionate and high-quality,” he stated.

As part of the larger program, an additional 80 chairs are scheduled for delivery to first- and second-level hospitals under the State Health Secretariat (SSY). Five chairs will go to the San Carlos Hospital in Tizimín, and five more to the Ticul Community Hospital.

Díaz Mena thanked the Yucatán Public Charity Board and its president, José Antonio Chapur Zahoul, as well as treasurer Valentina Abraham Goff and board members Erick Ortiz Rouco and Juan Manuel Díaz Roche. He also called on the director of the state’s charity administration, Raúl Osorio Alonzo, to continue building alliances with private sector donors.

A Model of Community-Driven Support

This initiative reflects a growing effort to address the real-world challenges faced by families navigating the public health system. Most hospital waiting areas are not equipped for overnight stays, especially for those caring for children or cancer patients. These reclining chairs allow relatives to rest without compromising their ability to remain close to loved ones—an essential part of emotional support during treatment and recovery.

What Is the Patronato de la Beneficencia Pública?

Much like international organizations such as Rotary, the Patronato de la Beneficencia Pública is a charitable institution that works to improve the well-being of the most vulnerable through partnerships with local governments, private donors, and civil society. These efforts often include the donation of medical equipment, prosthetics, mobility aids, and other tools to support public health and social welfare initiatives.