Story By: Jonathan Macias, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
Video Credit: CEN/@elmemonoriega
This is the moment a cheery boy drives himself to surgery in an electric car as part of the hospital’s new initiative to decrease children’s stress levels ahead of an op.
The clever idea was cooked up by staff at the Hospital of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) in the city of Nogales in the northern Mexican state of Sonora.
As seen in the footage, instead of being wheeled into the operating theatre in a wheelchair or stretcher, children can whizz along the hospital corridors instead – under the remote-control of a doctor or adult member of staff.
The idea is that the children’s anxiety and stress levels are reduced in the moments leading up to their operation.
The cute clip shows a young boy being led to the operating theatre as hospital staff members applaud him from the sidelines.
Reports did not mention the young patient’s name or which procedure he was undergoing.
IMSS director Guillermo Noriega shared the footage on social media alongside the message: “Everything for our children. Here is a boy arriving at the operating theatre without any stress. Small gestures that make a huge difference.”
According to local media, other hospitals in Mexico have also adopted this method of taking young patients to surgery, which has proved successful in reducing stress levels.
Twitter user ‘Leoomoreno’ wrote: “That is very good. We should do things like this and be different.”
Netizen ‘CesarLeyvaM’ said: “If I get a toy car for every hospital in Sonora, would you give me permission to use them?”
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