AIDS cases rising with 21 afflicted per day
>> Monday, June 29, 2015
Men having sex with
men top cases
By Carlito Dar
BAGUIO
CITY – ADIS/HIV cases are still rising with one HIV case diagnosed per 24 hours
since 2008.
Department
of Health records from January to April 2015 showed around 21 new HIV cases a
day -- mostly males having sex with males.
Dept.
of Health Cordillera OIC regional director Dr. AmelitaPangilinan bared this
here saying the DOH, local government units and stakeholders are collaborating
on programs and policies to address alarming rise in HIV-AIDS.
Data
from Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center showed from May 2006 to May
this year,179 HIV cases were recorded including two children ( aged 2 and 4 years old
inflicted by HIV virus from their mother).
Records
bared not all patients afflicted
with AIDS/HIV were residents of Baguio.
During
the DOH-led AIDS candlelight memorial ceremony at Prince Plaza Hotel here
recently, Pangilinan said much has yet to be done to curb the menace.
Christian
(not his real name), a 27- year-old male living with HIV (PLHIV) who attended
the ceremony in honor of those who died of the disease, urged young adults like
him, to practice healthy lifestyle, be wary of risky sexual behavior and learn
more about sexual/reproductive health.
“We
are suffering from an illness, fear of death in each day of our life and what
we need most is compassion and support,
not stigma or discrimination, for us to go on with our lives like anyone
else in our society,” he said.
“There
is still life even with HIV, we have learned our lesson, but we still have a
life to live in which we need your support.”
He
urged ceremony participants to join advocacy against HIV/AIDS to lessen deaths.
Christian
is among the PLHIVs who are not only fighting to stay alive and have a
normal life, but are feeling stigma, discrimination
and rejection from the public especially from their families.
HIV/AIDS
has become an alarming concern in the country and worldwide that the DOH has
included it in its five priority health issues in its newly launched High
Impact (HI – 5) Program.
Baguio
General Hospital and Medical Center Testing and Treatment Center head Dr. Maria
Lorena Santos, in the same forum, said like any health illness, prevention
through the practice of healthy lifestyle and better health awareness
especially on reproductive health and proper sexual behavior is essential.
“HIV/AIDS
has no cure yet. Being faithful or not engaging in multiple sexual partners or
other risky sexual behavior are means to prevent HIV infection,” she said.
She
bared the DOH ABCDE advocacy against HIV/AIDS in which A stands for abstain from Sex, B for be faithful to your partner, C for practice safe sex through the use of comdom, D for not
using drugs, and E for Educating
yourself.
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