A broken elevator at Hospital General de Mexicali is preventing a 17-year-old traffic accident survivor from receiving surgery on her arm, leaving her stranded on the hospital’s top floor with no way to reach the operating room.
Alejandra Orantes Nieto has been hospitalized since May 10 after a crash in the Mexicali Valley that killed her two-year-old sister and her unborn child. She needs arm surgery, but hospital staff say they cannot transport her to the surgical floor without a functioning elevator.
Family Pays Out of Pocket for Missing Supplies
The elevator is not the only problem the family has encountered. Orantes Nieto’s relatives have already spent 25,000 pesos (roughly $1,250 USD) out of pocket to purchase surgical plates the hospital did not have in stock. The family says they fear more unexpected costs as the delay continues.
Hospital General de Mexicali is the principal public hospital serving the city and the wider Baja California region. It operates as a government-run institution offering emergency care, surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, and other services. The facility sits on Calle del Hospital in central Mexicali, just a few miles south of the Calexico port of entry.
Patient’s Mental Health Deteriorating
The family has also raised concerns about the teenager’s psychological state. Orantes Nieto is suffering from acute depression after losing both her younger sister and her baby in the May 10 crash. She was unable to leave the hospital to attend either funeral while confined to the ward.
Nearly a month has passed since the accident, and no timeline has been given for when the elevator will be repaired or when the surgery can proceed. The case puts a spotlight on infrastructure and supply shortages at public hospitals in Baja California, where patients and families sometimes bear costs that government facilities are supposed to cover.
Public hospitals in Mexico’s border region regularly serve not only local residents but also cross-border patients who use IMSS (the Mexican Social Security Institute) or other government health programs. Equipment failures and supply gaps at these facilities can create cascading delays for anyone who depends on them.
The story was first reported by The Baja Post.