A 48-year-old man died of a heart attack at IMSS Clinic 1 in Tijuana on April 6 after spending three days in a hallway without adequate medical attention, his family alleges. The man arrived at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) facility on April 3 complaining of severe back pain.
According to relatives, medical staff placed the patient in a hallway rather than a proper treatment area. Over the next three days, the family says, staff dismissed his pain complaints and administered incorrect medication doses. A social worker reportedly told the family the man would be discharged, just hours before he suffered the fatal cardiac arrest.
Family Confrontation Led to Police Response
When the patient’s brother attempted to speak with hospital management to get answers about the care his sibling received, police officers removed him from the facility. The family has since demanded a formal investigation into the circumstances of the death.
As of April 7, the family was still waiting for the return of the body due to ongoing administrative delays at the clinic. They say the experience compounded their grief during an already painful time.
IMSS Clinic 1 Has Faced Prior Negligence Claims
This is not the first negligence accusation against IMSS Clinic 1 in Tijuana. In a separate case reported in January 2024, a 40-year-old woman died at the same facility, allegedly from an infection caused by a surgical sponge left inside her abdomen after an operation. In that case, IMSS regional delegate Desirée Sagarnaga Durante met with the victim’s family to outline the investigation process.
IMSS Clinic 1, located in the Zona Río area of Tijuana, is one of the city’s primary public hospitals. It serves thousands of enrolled workers and their dependents. IMSS is Mexico’s largest public health system, covering more than 80 million people nationwide through employer-based enrollment.
The family’s allegations have not been independently verified, and IMSS has not issued a public statement on this specific case. The family says they plan to pursue a formal complaint through Mexico’s medical arbitration commission, known as CONAMED (Comisión Nacional de Arbitraje Médico).
This case was first reported by Jornada BC and El Tijuanense.