Alicia Hernandez gives a visitor information about the health services provided by the Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix on Oct. 7, 2024. (Photo by Lizeth Adriana Calderon/Cronkite News)
PHOENIX — People line up outside the Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix, one of the five Mexican consulates in Arizona.
They’re seeking assistance with visa application, consular and voter registration, community agendas and more. And while they wait, they learn about the free health services the consulate offers. Approximately 200 to 300 people use the consulate’s services daily, according to Consul General Jorge Mendoza Yescas.
Inside is a large waiting area, and a booth against the wall displays health-care pamphlets. A stand by the booth reads in Spanish: “Do you have questions about your health and wellbeing? Come closer to the Ventanilla de Salud to receive information.”
Ventanilla de Salud (Health Window) is part of the Mexican Consulate’s health-care initiative. Mexicans and Mexican Americans can receive screenings for blood pressure and glucose, A1C and HIV, and get vaccinated. Mendoza Yescas said although his priority and duty is to the Mexican community, he would not deny the services to other Hispanic visitors.
The health initiative that began in 2003 in the San Diego and Los Angeles Mexican consulates has grown to 51 locations across the U.S. and Canada, with 49 of them offering services inside Mexican consulates, said Alicia Hernandez, Ventanilla de Salud Phoenix coordinator. The group also operates mobile units that travel to communities and offer health services locally.
“We usually do an announcement in front of everyone to let them know that we’re here and what services we provide. And then when someone’s interested in health screenings, we go to the exam room … to make sure that they have privacy and the adequate space to do that,” Hernandez said.
Mexican immigrants make up a significant portion of the U.S. immigration population – almost a fifth of all the U.S. immigrants are from Mexico – and on average, they tend to have lower income compared to immigrants from other countries, which impacts their ability to access health care.
Consulate General of Mexico Phoenix visitors wait for their turn on Oct. 7, 2024. (Photo by Lizeth Adriana Calderon/Cronkite News)
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanics and Latinos are more than 30% of Arizona’s population, the vast majority of them being of Mexican descent. Within the population, the picture is bleaker for undocumented immigrants in a state that restricts access to public assistance.
Like many others, Romelia De la Cruz, who is from the Mexican state of Chiapas, found out about the health screening through the announcement at the consulate. De la Cruz’s primary language is Spanish, and receiving culturally and linguistically appropriate care made a difference. “Because I speak Spanish, it’s better in Spanish,” De la Cruz said.
“I had an appointment here at the consulate and I heard that they were giving a vaccine and I asked one of the staff if they checked the glucose,” De la Cruz said. “I really liked how they treated me. The girl gave me a lot of information.”
Ventanilla de Salud partnered with Walgreens, offering free flu vaccines at the consulate twice a week. Yareli Molina, senior pharmacy technician at Walgreens, said the number of people seeking vaccinations varies daily. “The most we’ve gotten so far is about 19 people … and the least has been about six.”
Molina said that many people worry about the cost of medical checkups, but the free services from this collaboration make health care more accessible to the community.
The Consulate General is expecting an increase in funding from the Mexican government to broaden the range of health-care services, Mendoza Yescas said. “We are channelers, and since we have a lot of presence here in Arizona, we know of many organizations that can help the Mexican community. … The most important thing is to make sure that these organizations help people who do not have documents because, for the consulate, they are a priority,” Mendoza Yescas said.
The Ventanilla de Salud initiative also provides multivitamins, glucometers to measure glucose levels in the blood, workout bands to track physical activity and educational materials to promote a healthier lifestyle.
