Playa del Carmen to Launch HIV Testing Campaign in Puerto Aventuras, Bolsters Municipal Training

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The city will launch an HIV testing campaign in Puerto Aventuras this month, marking the first such initiative in that community, while municipal employees undergo administrative training focused on transparency and fiscal reporting.

Ryan Espinosa, director of the Sexual Diversity Office, explained that municipal staff across various departments are currently receiving training to ensure public servants properly and timely submit their declarations and administrative data as part of internal transparency procedures.

He detailed that the course was formally requested from all municipal secretariats and departments with the goal of standardizing criteria for how official information should be uploaded to institutional platforms.

Simultaneously, he announced that this month will see an HIV detection campaign in Puerto Aventuras, following requests from community groups in an area where such services have historically been inconsistent.

Espinosa said the activity is organized in coordination with council member Polaca Muza Simón and with support from the Health Secretariat, aiming to bring rapid tests to a zone that has had less coverage in preventive campaigns.

While the exact date hasn’t been confirmed, he specified the campaign will take place during April before the month ends, with promotion through institutional social media channels.

Espinosa noted the intention is to repeat these campaigns every three months, considering that period corresponds to the detection window offered by rapid tests.

He explained that test results don’t reflect immediate exposure but rather conditions from approximately three months prior, emphasizing the need for periodic check-ups.

He added that detection brigades currently also operate in universities, businesses, and neighborhoods of Playa del Carmen, aiming to establish fixed access points for people who don’t visit medical centers due to distance or economic limitations.

This strategy seeks to reduce access barriers and expand preventive coverage in a municipality that, along with other tourist destinations in the state, maintains high population mobility.

For Quintana Roo, HIV statistics are analyzed at the state level, where Cancún maintains higher numbers, though Playa del Carmen remains among municipalities with higher incidence rates.

Espinosa attributed part of this pattern to constant mobility of floating populations, temporary visitors, and foreign residents.

Regarding community response, he reported that recent campaigns have seen long lines, primarily of young people who show greater willingness to undergo preventive testing.

In contrast, he noted lower participation among adult women, especially pregnant women, despite current records showing cases in that sector.

Espinosa indicated that detecting people with reactive results allows them to be channeled for medical attention and specialized information, emphasizing that the goal isn’t just testing but timely identification of cases requiring institutional follow-up.

He clarified that while HIV care doesn’t directly form part of the Sexual Diversity Office’s original responsibilities, the area decided to get involved due to community demand and maintains coordination with other municipal and health departments.