Mexico

In Cárdenas, in the State of Tabasco, Eni Foundation supports the improvement of maternal and child health services, contributing to the National Health Programme promoted by the Ministry of Health. The aim is to strengthen primary healthcare services at the municipal level, with a special focus on the most vulnerable segments of the population, who lack access to medical care.

Our work began with a short-term project in a context made critical by the Covid-19 pandemic, which placed severe strain on the local healthcare system. Since 2022, our commitment has continued with a medium- and long-term project to strengthen access to primary healthcare services.

We have developed two initiatives in the territory to support communities:

• an ongoing medium to long-term initiative dedicated to enhancing Primary Health Care (PHC) services in the Municipality of Cárdenas – undertaken in partnership with the Ministry of Health of the State of Tabasco, the Health Authority of the Municipality of Cárdenas, and the Health Service of the Mexican Institute of Social Security for Welfare (IMSS-BIENESTAR), which has joined as a new national stakeholder – reinforcing the Foundation’s pledge to ensure access to fundamental health services for everyone, with a special focus on maternal and child health
• a short-term project launched following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Health of the State of Tabasco in 2021 and concluded in 2022, whose objective was to improve the response to the Covid-19 emergency by providing essential healthcare supplies.

The Access to Primary Health Care Services initiative primarily aims to:

• strengthen the Health Authorities, for more effective management of the system of access to healthcare
• support key hospital services in Cárdenas, to improve their operational capabilities and medical equipment
• improve the health infrastructure, in order to expand the network of Primary Health Care services
• promote information and awareness campaigns, in line with federal and state strategies in the health sector.

The project also includes: the construction and upgrading of health facilities, educational programs for health professionals, the implementation of digital solutions for health information services, and the supply of medical and technical devices and equipment.

Videos produced by the local communities to show the benefits and illustrate the various stages of the construction of the health and training centres.

The different areas of our lines of action.

In the construction and upgrading of health facilities:

• a training centre was completed and inaugurated in July 2025
• construction of a new health centre, including demolition works, began in July
• 2025 and is expected to be completed by Q2 2026
• the refurbishment and expansion of an existing health centre began in October 2025 and is expected to be completed by Q2 2026
• the refurbishment of a vaccination centre will begin in November 2025 and is expected to be completed by Q2 2026.

In specialist training:

• 5 Master’s programmes in Epidemiology
• 100 participants in the Diploma in Public Health
• 20 participants in the Diploma in Leadership and Healthcare Management
• 350 healthcare workers trained each month (since July 2023).

In health information services:

• Internet coverage activated for all 43 health centres in Cárdenas as of November 2023, currently available in all centres not included in the government’s free service.

In medical and technical equipment:

• medical equipment and furnishings delivered to Cardenas General Hospital
• ICT equipment provided to 81 health units in the jurisdiction
• additional medical equipment and furnishings supplied to the Ministry of Health of Tabasco to strengthen services related to vector control, nutrition services and epidemiological surveillance.

The project is aimed directly at 350 people and indirectly at 278,584 people.

For the General Hospital of Cárdenas, and other centres in the Municipality, Eni Foundation has carried out the following interventions, paying particular attention to mothers and children:

• supporting Covid-19 specialist services and supply of essential health material such as antigen tests, gloves, protective visors, antibacterial gel and personal protective equipment (PPE)
• improving Epidemiological Surveillance, with the provision of new IT equipment, in order to optimise data management and patient notifications
• improving the cold chain for vaccines through the delivery of photovoltaic refrigerators to selected health centres, ensuring the safe and efficient storage of more vaccines.