A substance abuse prevention campaign is conducted for construction workers

In order to make them aware of the impact on their health and work, construction workers in the hospital infrastructure works of the IGSS were given information and talks on the prevention of substance abuse.

Guatemala, September 23, 2021. Last week, under the slogan #SanosYSeguros, more than 150 workers working on the construction works of modular units for patient care with COVID of the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS), implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) within the framework of the INFRAIGSS Program, received information and talks on the prevention of substance abuse in order to make them aware of the impact consumption can have, both at the personal and the work level.

INFRAIGSS is the Infrastructure, Hospital Equipment and IT Modernization Program established by the Social Security, with the support of UNOPS to strengthen the capacities of the Social Security for the implementation of the Phase 2 of the Master Plan for the modernization and expansion of the IGSS Hospital Network and Services.

The talks facilitated by the staff of the Executive Secretary of the Commission against Addiction and Illicit Drug Trafficking (SECCATID), as part of its Occupational Prevention Program, are included in the various Health and Safety activities of UNOPS, that seek to ensure the physical integrity of workers and their well-being. The talks were given in the works located in Escuintla and in zone 11 of the capital city.

The content covered in the talks included: drug dependence, consequences and effects of drugs, risk and protection factors, addiction prevention, warning signs, etc.

INFRAIGSS includes the design of the Hospital Complex of Zone 11 and the Hospital Arrivillaga in Zone 5 of the capital city; the design and construction of the Hospital Regional de Oriente in Zacapa (with 203 beds) and the High Complexity Hospital in Zone 11 of the capital (with 300 beds); equipping these hospitals with state-of-the-art medical supplies and adequate furniture; acquiring ambulances; and modernizing the IT infrastructure, to expand and improve IGSS coverage and care for its rights-holders.

These actions fall within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goal 3, Health, and Welfare; SDG 9, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; and SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities.