Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Despite year-round HIV prevention campaigns, attendance at testing sites on the island remains low, according to local health officials.
Dr. Ángel Mario González Hernández, who oversees the HIV testing program for the state health department on Cozumel, said many residents avoid testing out of fear.
“People are more afraid of taking the test than of knowing whether they have the disease and starting treatment,” González said in an interview.
Others, he added, stay away from testing sites out of embarrassment, even when it comes to asking for condoms.
“Many are ashamed to approach a site to get tested. They even feel embarrassed to ask for condoms,” he said.
While González did not provide exact figures, he said HIV cases on the island have risen in recent years. Among those who test positive, many abandon treatment and only return when the disease has advanced, complicating its management.
Health authorities are now stepping up efforts to encourage residents to visit testing modules and to raise awareness about the seriousness of the virus.
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