Health professionals in Mexico are participating in the course "Fundamentals of Counseling on HIV and other STIs" to strengthen their knowledge in the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This training, sponsored by the National Center for the Prevention and Control of HIV and AIDS (Censida) and IMSS-Bienestar Health Services, is being conducted through the platform of the Educational Health System for Wellbeing (SiESABI).
The representative of the Sub-Directorate of Management and Knowledge of IMSS-Bienestar Health Services, Alejandra Cano Collado, highlighted the importance of the SiESABI platform as a free tool that offers in-person and virtual courses, seminars, tele-mentoring, and other resources for medical, administrative, and health-related personnel. She also emphasized the variety of available topics that enhance counseling competencies towards key populations.
At the opening ceremony of the training, representatives from Censida and IMSS-Bienestar Health Services were present, emphasizing the importance of training in the care of HIV and other STIs to improve the quality of health services. Juan Luis Mosqueda Gómez, General Director of Censida, underscored the importance of bringing diagnosis closer to individuals so they can receive timely treatment, especially considering that in Mexico, around 380,000 people are living with HIV and a significant proportion are unaware of their diagnosis.
The course, which consists of nine modules, covers topics such as counseling on PrEP and PEP, STIs, syphilis, hepatitis C virus, adherence in HIV, communities, and HIV in people with disabilities, among others. It is aimed at medical personnel, paramedics, psychologists, social workers, and specialists involved in healthcare.
Regarding the importance of counseling in the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, Jair Jazim Gobea Valladares, Director of Comprehensive Care at Censida, emphasized the relevance of aspects such as consent, confidentiality, appropriate counseling, and effective connection to health services to ensure the care of positively diagnosed individuals.
