The director emphasized that this strategy is complemented by a generational transition process, which already includes 55 young researchers incorporated through postdoctoral stays and federal scientific talent programs. The head of the INSP highlighted that Mexico's main challenges include the demographic transition, population aging, chronic diseases, as well as emerging and re-emerging diseases. From this perspective, the Institute is preparing to reposition its participation in the design and evaluation of public policies at the national level. Finally, Dr. Lazcano stated that the legacy he aspires to consolidate is a renewed organizational structure sustained by a financing scheme that allows the INSP to continue as a leading institution, generating knowledge with social and academic impact both in Mexico and the region.
Dr. Eduardo Lazcano Ponce, General Director of the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), provided an account of the institutional moment the organization is going through, on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of Dr. Guillermo Soberón Acevedo, a pioneer of modern public health in Mexico and a key figure in the Institute's creation. In an exclusive interview for LaSalud.mx, he also noted that the INSP has been continuously coordinating the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) since 2020, a key tool for monitoring body composition, obesity prevalence, chronic diseases, mental health, access to water, and, for the first time, visual health.
He also highlighted the relevance of the journal 'Salud Pública de México', which has reached an impact factor of 3.1, consolidating itself as a regional benchmark. Dr. Lazcano explained that one of the most significant structural transformations of the INSP is the reformulation of its academic programs. Historically, there were 28 postgraduate programs; however, as of September, only four comprehensive programs remain. This restructure—which includes the creation of Research and Teaching Groups (GID)—aims to strengthen collective mentoring, link research and teaching, and ensure that students respond to the real needs of population health.
The Institute, he indicated, has about 250 researchers affiliated with the National System of Researchers, with a productivity of nearly 450 academic publications per year and over 100,000 citations in the last decade, positioning it as one of the most relevant scientific centers in health in Latin America. In this conversation, the head of the INSP stressed that the Institute maintains a close inter-institutional linkage with the Ministry of Health, IMSS, and international organizations, providing scientific evidence for public policies such as smoke-free spaces and the labeling of ultra-processed products.
He emphasized that these challenges require cross-sectoral interventions involving education, agriculture, and other areas, as social inequality remains the structural axis of health gaps.
