Authorities of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported that more than 22 thousand people are currently living with the disease in the Isthmus nation, while announcing new measures to strengthen prevention, timely diagnosis and access to treatment, one of the most ambitious health goals assumed by the country in the next decade.

During a meeting of the National Commission for the Prevention and Control of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Conavih), representatives of public institutions, international organizations, civil society organizations and other sectors evaluated the strategies that will guide the national response against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI).

The meeting allowed us to review the progress in the implementation of the Multisector Strategic Plan for the Comprehensive Response to HIV and other STIs 2025-2029, considered the main instrument to coordinate national actions in this matter during the coming years.

The Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd, who chairs Conavih, highlighted the importance of strengthening coordination between government entities, international organizations and social organizations to advance the prevention and control of the disease.

Among the priorities established in the plan are the expansion of preventive strategies, the promotion of early diagnosis, the guarantee of continued access to antiretroviral treatments and the strengthening of protection of the human rights of people living with HIV.

For his part, the head of the HIV/AIDS Section of the Ministry of Health, Carlos Chavez, pointed out that one of the fundamental objectives is to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease, factors that continue to limit the early access of many people to health services.

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