Autopista de la Salud A Mobile Health Initiative

In Baca, a small town near Mérida, Mexico, access to healthcare is a shared concern for many families. For workers at the Fair Trade Certified factory Vertical Knits, health issues affect not only individual wellbeing but also day to day household stability. During a needs assessment conducted by the Fair Trade Committee, more than half of the participating workers identified health as a top priority. Over 66% reported that local healthcare services failed to meet their needs, citing long travel times, time away from work, and high out-of-pocket costs as common barriers. Based on these findings, the General Assembly approved "Autopista de la Salud" (Health Highway), a mobile health unit designed to bring medical services directly to workers, their families, and nearby communities. The unit operates on a fixed schedule across Vertical Knits’ multiple production sites and serves 52 surrounding communities where healthcare is limited. Equipped with consultation rooms and medical modules, the unit provides general medicine, gynecology, nutrition, dentistry, psychology, and occupational health services. It also offers preventive care, such as screenings for breast and cervical cancer. Between August and December 2025, the mobile unit delivered a high volume of services, reflecting strong community demand. During that period, it provided 1,160 general medicine consultations, 912 dental visits, 288 nutrition consultations, 296 psychology sessions, and 480 occupational health visits. Preventive care included 58 mammograms and 40 ultrasound studies, supporting earlier detection and treatment for various health conditions. Workers have shared how these services lead to practical, life-changing outcomes. Silvia Angélica Aké Canul, a License Coordinator who has been with Vertical Knits for 18 years, said, “I was diagnosed with cervical cancer at a sufficiently early stage thanks to the gynecological screenings provided by Autopista de la Salud.” Edgar Chuc, a Quality Supervisor with 13 years at the factory, described how psychological care supported his family during his son's transition to secondary school and helped prevent depression. Dr. Miguel Ángel Aguirre, the general doctor on the unit, noted that early diagnosis allows patients to begin treatment and make changes that support their long-term health. Since its launch in mid-2023, the project has been renewed for a third time in 2025 with a $300,000 USD investment from the Fair Trade Community Development Fund.