Cancún gives free cleft lip and palate surgery to 18 kids at its General Hospital
The year's Third Round at 'Jesús Kumate Rodríguez' hospital treated patients from 3 months to 17 years old across eight Quintana Roo municipalities.
Cancún's 'Jesús Kumate Rodríguez' General Hospital wrapped up its Third Round of Free Cleft Lip and Palate Surgeries on Monday, treating 18 children and adolescents from eight Quintana Roo municipalities. Patients traveled from Benito Juárez, Lázaro Cárdenas, Puerto Morelos, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Bacalar and Othón P. Blanco.
Ages ranged from three months —the case of baby Aitana López— to 17 years. A five-person maxillofacial team performed the procedures: four Mexican specialists and one invited surgeon from Ecuador; a dental surgeon and two resident physicians also took part.
The round was coordinated by IMSS Bienestar, Quintana Roo's Health Ministry, the hospital itself and the state DIF System. Governor Mara Lezama and DIF honorary chair Verónica Lezama toured the wards during the surgeries. 'We reaffirm our commitment to health, wellbeing and social justice for everyone, especially those who need it most,' the governor said.
What it is and why it matters
Cleft lip and palate is a congenital condition that affects a child's speech, feeding and social development if not corrected in time. A full course of private treatment can total tens of thousands of pesos per procedure, and many cases require more than one operation through childhood. Free programs like the one at 'Jesús Kumate' —the third edition held at this hospital— lift that burden from families who could not otherwise afford it.
How to sign up if a case runs in your family
- Visit 'Jesús Kumate Rodríguez' General Hospital in Cancún and request an appointment at the social work office; that is where pre-registration for the next round begins.
- You can also visit any SESA health center in your municipality with the child's CURP, guardian ID and proof of address to start the referral.
- The program is free for insured and uninsured families alike; a prior pediatric evaluation determines whether the patient will proceed to the next round of surgery.
The state Health Ministry publishes new round dates on its official channels as registration opens.
Sources
- Gobierno de Quintana Roo — Tercera Jornada de Cirugías en Hospital General de Cancún — Gobierno del Estado de Quintana Roo
- 24 Horas Quintana Roo — cobertura de la Tercera Jornada — 24 Horas Quintana Roo
- Caribe Peninsular — cirugías gratuitas de labio y paladar hendido — Caribe Peninsular
Related
The project benefits 672 students across both shifts, cost more than 3.3 million pesos and is part of a state plan for 1,109 covered spaces across Quintana Roo.
Monthly cost per person in Mexican cities came in at 4,888.22 pesos and at 3,503.97 in rural areas; an urban family of four needed 19,522.88 pesos to cross the income poverty line.
Mexico's tax authority chief said revenue through June approached 3 trillion pesos and that the Mobile Office program has visited around 400 municipalities so far in 2026.
Crews mowed, swept, pruned, cleared drains and patched streets, and shut down illegal dumps; residents can request the same service by WhatsApp.