· He appointed Dr. José Narro Robles Minister of Health. He instructed him, among other things, to continue institutional efforts to expand health care coverage so that people can exercise their constitutional right to health protection.
· He instructed Mikel Arriola, the new director of the IMSS, to continue the financial strengthening of this important social security institution, and maintain and accelerate the process of simplifying procedures, modernizing infrastructure and equipment, and implementing the measures undertaken in recent years to ensure disease prevention and timely detection.
· He instructed José Antonio González Anaya, the new Director General of PEMEX, to hasten the transformation of the company to maximize the opportunities offered by Energy Reform, with a focus on greater environmental sustainability, while achieving its financial and productive strength in a context of low international oil prices.
Earlier today, President, Enrique Peña Nieto appointed José Narro Robles Secretary of Health; Mikel Arriola Peñalosa Director General of the Mexican Social Security Institute; and José Antonio González Anaya Director General of Petróleos Mexicanos.
In a press statement, during which he also swore in the officials designated today, the president publicly thanked Dr. Mercedes Juan López, José Antonio González Anaya and Emilio Lozoya Austin, who led these major institutions from the start of his administration, for their dedication and commitment to serving Mexico.
The text of President Peña Nieto’s address is given below:
Good afternoon to you all of you.
Media representatives:
I have invited you this afternoon to announce a series of changes in my work team, in both the Legal and the Extended Cabinet.
I have decided to appoint Dr. José Narro Robles as Minister of Health.
As you know, Dr. José Narro knows this ministry well. Moreover, I sure that his experience and leadership as head of our country’s leading academic Institution, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, will enable him to promote a new era for the Health Sector nationwide.
In this regard, I have instructed Dr. Narro to continue the institutional efforts to expand health care coverage, so that people can exercise their constitutional right to health protection; improve the quality of services provided by federal health institutions, and, in coordination with the state authorities, help local institutions to achieve this purpose; and increase the coordination of the health sector with both federal social security institutions and the respective ministries in the states.
In addition, the new minister of health must pay particular attention to the leading causes of mortality and morbidity affecting the Mexican population, in order to improve their quality of life and meet the new sustainable development goals to which we committed at the last United Nations General Assembly.
The use of new technologies must be intensified in order to achieve more efficient, timely and effective medical care.
This new stage in the health sector will be accompanied by a new stage in the Mexican Social Security Institute. To this end, I have decided to appoint Mikel Arriola Peñalosa as its new director general.
I have entrusted Mikel Arriola with the following:
· To continue the financial strengthening of this important social security institution, and maintain and hasten the process of simplifying procedures, modernizing infrastructure and equipment, and implementing the measures undertaken in recent years to ensure disease prevention and timely detection.
However, as I declared at the last IMSS General Assembly, improving the quality and warmth of medical services will be the priority for the coming years. In particular, waiting times must be reduced for scheduling surgery and the allocation of hospital beds.
Mikel Arriola’s mission is to consolidate the IMSS as a benchmark for social security in the 21st century.
The third appointment I am announcing today is that of Dr. José Antonio González Anaya as the new Director General of Petróleos Mexicanos. The new director of this productive state enterprise must simultaneously address two main challenges:
· On the one hand, he must hasten the transformation of the company to maximize the opportunities offered by Energy Reform, with a focus on greater environmental sustainability, while achieving its financial and productive strength in a context of low international oil prices.
In this regard, I have instructed the new director general to prioritize the efficiency and profitability of all the Petróleos Mexicanos processes, emphasizing their international competitiveness.
It will be necessary to adjust its cost structure, review its spending program and strengthen investment processes, using the new schemes and investment partnerships with the private sector provided by Energy Reform.
This process will have the full technical support of both the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, and the Ministry of Energy.
The government supports and will continue to support Petróleos Mexicanos. It is a flagship company and the pride of our nation, which contributes to public finances, economic growth and national development.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I would like to conclude my address by publicly thanking Dr. Mercedes Juan López and Dr. José Antonio González Anaya for their performance in their previous roles, as well as Emilio Lozoya Austin, who led these major institutions since the start of my administration. I am grateful for their dedication and commitment to serving Mexico.
I wish the new directors, whom I will swear in shortly, every success with their new responsibilities.
Having said this, this commitment they have assumed today is in line with the commitment of the entire Cabinet , which is to work for Mexico, serve Mexico with passion, dedication, and hope that their contribution will enable this Nation to continue to grow and walk the path of development and progress; and provide families and society in general in our country with conditions of well-being, greater prosperity and opportunities for all.