UNAM offers new space to "prevent" HIV; these are all the services offered

As part of a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) within the university environment, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) have launched a specialized office at General Hospital Zone No. 8, located near Ciudad Universitaria.

This new space is intended to offer key services such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), aimed at a university population estimated at more than 500 thousand people, of which around 370,000 are active UNAM students.

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During the presentation ceremony, Fernando Macedo Chagolla, head of the Secretariat of Service and Attention to the University Community, He explained that the opening of the clinic represents a firm step toward protecting the health of those who attend this institution. In addition to HIV prevention treatments, immunization regimens against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and the human papillomavirus (HPV) will also be offered, as well as medical care for other preventable or curable STIs.

For its part, Gustavo Olaiz Fernández, Director General of Health Care at UNAM, He emphasized that while HIV infections have decreased globally by more than 60%, more than one million new cases are still reported each year. He stressed that both PrEP and PEP are new tools with great potential, but they still require greater dissemination to achieve a greater impact.

In her videotaped address, Luisa Cabal, UNAIDS Regional Director, expressed her appreciation to both institutions for this collaboration, which, in her words, "positions Mexico as an example in the implementation of effective HIV prevention strategies." She also highlighted the accessible and nonjudgmental approach represented by including these treatments within a university.

Likewise, Luis Adrián Quiroz Castillo, general coordinator of Beneficiaries Living with HIV at the IMSS, highlighted that this new clinic will be a safe, inclusive environment focused on sexual and reproductive rights. He emphasized that the opening coincides with LGBTQ+ Pride Month and revealed that more than 85% of those who begin preventive treatments such as PrEP and PEP manage to maintain their adherence. He also reported that plans are to expand these services to other UNAM campuses in the Metropolitan Area and the interior of the country, including high school levels.

From a public health perspective, Jorge Baruch Díaz, head of the UNAM Traveler's Clinic, explained that this measure seeks to urgently address a particularly vulnerable population group: young people between the ages of 20 and 34, who represent the largest proportion of new HIV diagnoses, both nationally and internationally.

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Baruch described the clinic as an iconic space that not only addresses medical needs but also acts as an educational and awareness-raising tool, promoting self-care and respect for human rights without stigmatization.

The opening ceremony brought together various health and prevention authorities, including Jovan Zahid Guadarrama Corrugedo, head of the Life Course Area of the IMSS Bienestar Preventive Programs Coordination, and Eduardo Abasolo Ramírez, head of Prevention and Health Care for the Southern Decentralized Administrative Operations Body of the Federal District.

This joint initiative between UNAM and the IMSS represents a concrete commitment to the comprehensive health of the student community, as well as to the promotion of transformative education focused on prevention, inclusion, and respect.