On December 1, 2025, in the framework of World AIDS Day, the Government of Mexico formalized an interinstitutional agreement that seeks to transform the national response to HIV. The Secretary of Health, David Kershenobich, led the signing of the Collaboration Agreement in the Health Sector for the Strengthening of the HIV Response in Mexico towards 2026, an instrument that proposes an integral model for service exchange among institutions and a reorganization of the processes for accessing antiretroviral medications, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
The agreement proposes barrier-free access between IMSS, ISSSTE, IMSS-Bienestar, and Pemex, along with protocols to maintain treatment for 12 months even with administrative changes.
The Director General of ISSSTE, Martí Batres Guadarrama, reiterated the agency's commitment to a path for the elimination of HIV based on prevention, promoting condom use, sexual education, and continuous clinical follow-up.
During the event, the Undersecretary of Health Policies and Population Well-being, Ramiro López Elizalde, highlighted that access to healthcare in Mexico must transition to a model where services depend on the population's needs and not on their affiliation system.
He emphasized that the actions undertaken seek to align Mexico with the global commitments established by the World Health Organization (WHO): to achieve that 95% of people with HIV are diagnosed, that 95% of them remain in treatment, and that 95% reach an undetectable viral load.
The event was also attended by the Technical Secretary of the National Health Council for Well-being, María Eugenia Lozano Torres; the Deputy Director of Health Services of Pemex, Ruy López Ridaura; and the national coordinator of the Salud Positiva Program of YAAJ "Transformando Tu Vida A.C.", Carlos Ignacio Ahedo Rocha, adding institutional and community representation to this intersectoral effort.
The sectoral transfer protocols will guarantee treatment continuity for up to 12 months, even in the event of changes in the affiliation system.
The Director General of IMSS, Zoé Robledo, outlined four priority lines of action to strengthen the institutional response: expanding the offer of PrEP in all family medicine units and rural hospitals; implementing the "PrEP Plus" strategy, which integrates vaccination and combined prevention schemes; updating epidemiological models to identify key populations; and strengthening the training of health personnel with the support of educational institutions and civil society organizations.
For his part, the Director General of IMSS Bienestar, Alejandro Svarch Pérez, emphasized the need to strengthen the first level of care to improve counseling and ensure timely diagnoses, including access to PrEP from health centers.
This new unit will expand metropolitan coverage and improve access to specialized services for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
The Director General of the National Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control (Censida), Juan Luis Mosqueda Gómez, underscored the importance of placing people and communities at the center, as well as the indispensable role that civil society organizations play in resilience against HIV.
Additionally, he recognized the contribution of Mexico City in transferring the unique digital platform, which will facilitate clinical follow-up and strengthen the quality of care nationwide.
The agreement contemplates the creation of a unique digital platform for registration and clinical follow-up, as well as specific protocols to guarantee therapeutic continuity.
On this occasion, David Kershenobich also announced that Mexico will adopt a national vaccination strategy against the monkeypox virus, initially aimed at higher-risk populations and based on scientific evidence and international standards, becoming an additional element of prevention in public health.
The agreement brings together all public institutions in the health sector, international organizations, civil society groups, and community collectives, with the aim of reducing fragmentation between systems and establishing uniform, continuous, and universal care.
This operational framework responds to the objective of advancing towards a health policy oriented towards both care and prevention, aligned with the priorities indicated by the country's presidency.
Detailing its implementation, Kershenobich noted that the model will allow for service exchange among institutions such as the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the Institute of Security and Social Services for State Workers (ISSSTE), IMSS Bienestar, and Pemex, in order to eliminate administrative barriers and ensure that any person, regardless of their affiliation, can receive timely care.
In turn, the Undersecretary of Sectoral Integration and Coordination of Medical Services, Eduardo Clark, stressed that comprehensive care for people living with HIV and prevention in higher-risk groups will only be possible through effective coordination of the sector as a single block, capable of responding to labor, family, or administrative changes without harming therapeutic continuity.
On behalf of Mexico City, the Secretary of Health, Nadine Flora Gasman Zylbermann, reported on the construction of the third Condesa Specialized Clinic, located in the northern area of the capital.
