Peñasquito Inaugurates the Most Modern Rural Medical Unit in Mexico

With the donation of one hectare of communal land by the community, Goldcorp’s Peñasquito mine recently constructed and opened the Rural Medical Centre, which will benefit more than 2,300 members of the community of Cedros and Mazapil, in the state of Zacatecas, one of the largest municipalities in Mexico.

The facility will be operated by the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) and consists of 3,112 square metres of infrastructure that includes a medical care area, the rural adolescent care centre (CARA), a nutritional education centre, and an observation and recovery area. The Rural Medical Centre also has a medicine and medical supplies storeroom, two stretchers for recovery, and an ambulance to provide emergency transfers, which were only previously possible with the use of private vehicles.  In addition, the donation includes other aspects of operational support that will improve service to the community.

The Rural Medical Centre was developed in response to community consultation and studies, which identified that improved medical facilities and services were the greatest concern for the community. The Rural Medical Centre will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year and represents a great benefit for the population of Cedros and the neighbouring communities, since it is now the nearest medical facility and will guarantee more effective and direct medical attention.

At the inauguration ceremony in September, 2018, Brian Berney, Peñasquito’s Mine General Manager, thanked the Peñasquito team who had contributed to the project delivery of the Centre, and the community for the donation of the land, and said, “We believe in building a positive legacy that lasts well beyond our mining operations. Peñasquito has been responsible for all the expenses of the infrastructure and equipment of the Rural Medical Centre, as well as the suitability of its location in the region. This has enabled us to materialize the community’s dream to have immediate medical attention available to them”.

The Rural Medical Centre is highly equipped and is the most modern in the country, according to Roberto Rafael Garduño Alarcón, head of IMSS Prospera, the organization responsible for operating the Centre. Agustín Llanas, the local mayor, also attended the inauguration ceremony and recognized the commitment that Goldcorp has with the communities of the municipality in aspects of social development, education and health, with the contribution of resources for the infrastructure that benefits the region’s residents.