Mexico to Deploy National Health ID Card System

Mexico’s Ministry of Welfare will deploy a nationwide Health ID Card system aimed at guaranteeing access to public health services and strengthening patient identification, as part of a broader effort to consolidate a Universal Health System.

“The credential will allow us to digitalize all processes and build an even stronger Health System than the one we are currently developing,” states President Claudia Sheinbaum.

During a press briefing, Ariadna Montiel, Minister of Welfare, outlined operational and logistical advances for the rollout of the Health ID Card, which is designed to ensure the constitutional right to health provided by public institutions. The credential will allow authorities to identify beneficiaries, register their nearest primary care unit, and enable access to services nationwide, even when patients are away from their place of residence.

The card will also allow appointment scheduling within assigned first-level clinics and will integrate clinical records from the government’s Salud Casa por Casa program. Authorities have collected 11 million clinical histories from older adults and people with disabilities. A second phase is underway to record glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride measurements, which will be integrated into digital clinical files accessible through the credential.

“We will proudly say, in just a few years, that we are the most important health prevention program in the world,” states Sheinbaum.

The printed card will display the holder’s full name, CURP, gender, place and date of birth, nationality, blood type if known, beneficiaries, and nearest clinic. A digital version with equal validity will be automatically generated once the physical card is issued.

To register, adults must present an official photo ID, certified CURP, and proof of address not older than six months. Accepted IDs include passports, voter credentials, military service cards, identity certificates issued by local authorities, and the INAPAM card issued by the Ministry of Welfare. Naturalized citizens may present supplementary nationality documents. Minors must attend with a parent or guardian and provide a birth certificate and CURP, along with the adult’s documentation. A contact phone number is required for notification purposes.

The Ministry plans to install 2,898 registration modules, at least one per municipality, with additional modules in larger jurisdictions. Each module may operate up to 10 registration stations equipped for digital data capture and photography. A total of 9,791 operators are being trained by the Digital Transformation Agency and the National Population Registry (RENAPO).

The deployment will involve 17,263 personnel, including registration operators, supervisors, and support staff responsible for document review and citizen assistance, with priority attention to vulnerable groups. The structure includes 1,076 coordinators, 269 regional directors, and state-level delegates overseeing field operations. Data will be stored in Renapo’s registration system, with the ministry acting as the operational arm of the project.

“The registration will be carried out by personnel from the Ministry of Welfare previously trained for its correct implementation,” says Montiel.

Authorities aim to register 134 million people. After completing registration, individuals will receive their physical card within six weeks, at which point the digital credential will be activated.

The government has developed protocols for special cases, including individuals without fingerprints, minors under custody arrangements, residents of care institutions, and children in state protection. Training also emphasizes identity rights, administrative simplification, and standardized service procedures.

The registration phase will begin on April 2, with authorities expected to publish an updated schedule detailing enrollment dates organized by last name and age group to facilitate orderly participation. Officials say the calendar will be shared publicly to support outreach efforts. In preparation for the launch, teams continue advancing daily on training, site readiness, internet connectivity, and electrical installation to ensure modules are fully operational during the first days of April, when the nationwide registration process formally begins.

Officials describe the credential as a foundational step toward consolidating universal access to health services across Mexico. Since the beginning of her administration, President Claudia Sheinbaum has stated her intention to strengthen the public health system and ensure that all citizens have access to essential care and services, including laboratory tests, surgeries, preventive care, vaccinations, and medications.

“Our goal is to create a Universal Health System. Obviously, the first thing is the strengthening of the Health System. That means: The strengthening of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). More hospitals, more Health Centers, more doctors, health personnel; that medications arrive on time to all places; that the work of doctors is precise, kind, dignified, for all and every one of the beneficiaries, and the entire health prevention program,” states Sheinbaum.