Government authorities now have the Wellness Center Mérida, a free, confidential, and stigma-free facility designed to prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Yucatán, a state that in 2026 has experienced an increase of more than 300 annual cases of HIV and other infections such as gonorrhea and syphilis, with a significant concentration among people under 30 years of age.
The Wellness Center operates through a partnership between AHF México and the Government of Yucatán. At this facility, health specialists provide guidance, counseling, rapid testing, medical care, and free medication.
The goal is for Yucatán to continue advancing toward a healthcare model focused on prevention and timely treatment, aligned with the national strategy led by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, whose main objective is to guarantee healthcare as a right of the population rather than a privilege.
The director of Wellness Center Mérida, Gabriela Pérez Ávalos, explained that the facility is a space free from stigma, discrimination, and prejudice, open to the entire population, including minors, who can receive care according to established protocols.
Among the available services are medical consultations for people with STI symptoms; rapid tests for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis C; personalized counseling; and prevention supplies such as internal and external condoms and lubricants.
Pérez Ávalos explained that the center also provides PrEP and PEP, meaning Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis against HIV, combined prevention measures that reduce the risk of acquiring the virus.
For his part, the Secretary of Health of Yucatán, Alberto Alcocer Gamboa, stated that through mixed personnel and joint investment with AHF México, these services can be made available to the population, aligned with the state government’s new universal healthcare model that prioritizes prevention and timely medical attention, in coordination with federal health policies.
Syphilis Cases Increase
According to the Epidemiological Bulletin of the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (Sinave) of the federal Ministry of Health (SSA), syphilis cases in Yucatán experienced a significant increase during the first seven months of the year.
A total of 413 confirmed infections were reported up to epidemiological week 26, with data collected until July 4, representing an increase of 168.1% compared with the same period in 2025.
The federal report indicated that men represent the majority of infections in the state. Of the 413 reported cases, 327 correspond to male patients, while 86 were women, showing a significant difference in infection rates.
During the same period in 2025, only 154 syphilis cases had been recorded, meaning that this year there were 259 additional infections.
With these figures, Yucatán became the state in the Yucatán Peninsula with the highest percentage growth in syphilis cases, far exceeding neighboring states. Second place was Campeche, where cases increased by 36%, rising from 97 cases in 2025 to 132 so far this year.
The federal health authority also reported increases in HIV and gonorrhea cases, with recent figures exceeding 300 annual cases, mainly affecting people under 30 years old.
The most common STIs in the state include Human Papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and genital herpes.
Regarding syphilis cases in 2026, 305 men and 80 women have been infected, surpassing the previous year’s total, when 143 cases had been recorded by the same period in 2025.
For other infections, Yucatán has reported three cases of chancroid among men, 24 cases of genital herpes (10 men and 14 women), and 43 cases of gonorrhea as of June 2026.
In the case of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), health authorities estimate that more than 80 annual cases are associated with malignant cervical tumors.
Source: jornada
