The Baja California Sur state government launched a free men’s health screening campaign this week, setting up mobile testing modules at sports facilities across La Paz. The program offers rapid glucose tests, blood pressure checks, STI screening, and prostate antigen testing for men aged 45 and older.
No appointment is needed. The mobile units operate during afternoon hours at community sports venues, including CEDEM, the Unidad Deportiva Nuevo Sol complex, and several local gyms. The state Health Secretariat designed the campaign to reach men where they already spend time, rather than waiting for them to visit a clinic.
What Tests Are Available
The free screenings cover several common health concerns. Rapid glucose testing can flag diabetes risk, while blood pressure readings check for hypertension. STI screening is available for sexually active men. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, a key early indicator for prostate cancer, is offered to men 45 and older.
The campaign also includes geriatric assessments for people aged 60 and older. These evaluations aim to identify risk factors and monitor cognitive, mental, and functional health in older adults.
Plans to Expand Across BCS
BCS Health Secretary Ana Luisa Guluarte Castro said the initiative will expand beyond La Paz to other municipalities in the state. The rollout will be supported by IMSS-Bienestar, the federal health program that provides coverage to people without employer-based insurance.
Guluarte Castro noted that the campaign targets a persistent gap in preventive care. Men in Mexico are statistically less likely than women to seek routine checkups, and early detection programs have historically had low male participation rates. According to a 2021 CEIDAS study, 62% of rural communities in BCS lack early detection campaigns entirely.
The screenings are open to all men in La Paz, including foreign residents. No Mexican health insurance or residency documentation requirements have been announced for participation. The state Health Secretariat has not published specific end dates for the La Paz phase of the campaign.
Originally reported by the Baja California Sur state government at bcs.gob.mx.