Jalisco Approves Free Breast Reconstruction for Breast Cancer Survivors

Introduction:

Jalisco Approves Free Breast Reconstruction

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women around the world. It can be a frightening time when you are diagnosed. After all, it runs the risk of fatality.

Recovery is also often arduous and painful. For many women, it involves having a mastectomy—where all the breast tissue is removed from the body. Even for those with a lumpectomy (where only the tumor is removed), they still have a painful and difficult recovery ahead.

To make matters worse, often women have to undergo some other form of therapy like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. This can leave the patient with symptoms like loss of appetite, nausea, bowel issues, skin and nail issues, mouth sores, fatigue, and hair loss.

In short, a breast cancer diagnosis is not something to be taken lightly.

For those breast cancer survivors, you might think that they are in the clear, but it can still be a trying time for women. They can have profound psychological issues leftover from their traumatic experience centered around their confrontation with their mortality or self-esteem issues related to their body image.

Now for Mexican citizens, there is hope. Jalisco has approved free breast reconstruction for breast cancer survivors.

Breast Cancer in Mexico:

Jalisco Approves Free Breast Reconstruction

Over 20,000 Mexican women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Between 10 and 12 women die of breast cancer every single day. Factoring that 60% of Mexican women are overweight, their risk of cancer increases—that’s not factoring other variables like smoking and drinking alcohol.

According to data published in 2017 by the World Health Organization, 6,376 women died of breast cancer that year. This represents 1.18% of the total deaths in 2017. The age-adjusted Death Rate is 11.02 per 100,000 of the population.

*(You might recall from our article on Safety in Mexico that all population statistical percentages are measured over 100,000 people).

Though this may seem like a relatively low number, it’s not. Breast cancer represents the 12th worst killer of Mexicans. As ranked, they are:

• Coronary Heart Disease

• Diabetes Mellitus

• Stroke

• Lung Disease

• Liver Disease

• Kidney Disease

• Influenza and Pneumonia

• Violence

• Prostate Cancer

• Road Traffic Accidents

• Other Injuries

• Breast Cancer

Mexico has one of the worst death rates for breast cancer in the world. It’s currently ranked as the 147th lowest country in the world when it comes to breast cancer life expectancy.

According to specialists, only 30% of breast cancer survivors in Mexico undergo breast reconstruction surgery. This may change with the approval of free breast reconstruction surgery for Mexican citizens in Mexico.

INSABI:

Jalisco Approves Free Breast Reconstruction

As you may recall from our article on AMLO’s new healthcare policy called Instituto de Salud para el Bienestar, the government is replacing Seguro Popular (INSABI) with a new, comprehensive healthcare program which will cover 64 million more Mexican citizens.

In a groundbreaking initiative, among the list of approved procedures for full coverage by INSABI is free breast reconstruction surgery in the Mexican state of Jalisco. This procedure will only be available to those women who have undergone a mastectomy because of cancer.

This procedure will only be approved by the Commission on Hygiene, Public Health, and Addiction Prevention—a commission put forth from the congress in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

For now, it is only a pilot initiative, but there is hope that the program could expand throughout the whole country if it’s successful. Erika Perez Garcia was the State Deputy who spearheaded the initiative to allocate these funds to the 2020 budget of the state of Jalisco.

In addition, women will also receive psychological care if they need it to help address the issues of body positivity and overcoming trauma in the aftermath of their battle with this harrowing disease.

Conclusion:

Jalisco Approves Free Breast Reconstruction

This is a wonderful step forward in providing the care that breast cancer survivors need in the aftermath of their battle with cancer. This can be a great step forward if the policy is adopted by all 31 states and Mexico City.

It’s wise to remember though that this free procedure is for Mexican citizens. The best thing that expats can do to protect themselves in the event of breast cancer is to get expat health insurance. And remember to get a mammogram every year!

Don’t be caught fighting this deadly disease alone. Get expat health insurance today!