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THE
Philippines still has low HIV/AIDS prevalence, but the
country should not be complacent because the number is
rising, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.
“Although the Philippines remains to be a low-prevalence
country [in HIV/AIDS], it should not be a reason to be
complacent as statistics and trends show that the number
of those infected are on the rise,” Duque said at the
opening on Tuesday of the three-day Second Regional
Consultative Meeting on Universal Access to Prevention,
Treatment, Care and Support in Low-Prevalence Countries
on HIV/AIDS, to which the country belongs.
Duque
said that in previous years, an average of 20 cases of
HIV/AIDS were reported each month, but the number rose
to 29 starting 2007.
According to the AIDS Commission Report, although the
Philippines has a low prevalence of AIDS epidemic, it
should focus its attention on prevention and a scaled-up
response for making available affordable treatments and
control interventions.
The
report said HIV/AIDS transmission through heterosexual
contact decreased from 193 in 2006 to 139 in 2007.
However, there was a transmission increase in homosexual
(81 to 107) and bisexual (24 to 74) contacts.
Another
concern is the declining use of condoms among
populations at risk from AIDS, which became a dilemma
for the Department of Health (DOH) because of the
possible spread of communicable diseases like AIDS.
In 2007
those who used condoms accounted for only 48 percent
among female sex workers, 27 percent among injecting
drug users and 49 percent among men having sex with men.
To avoid
a full-blown HIV epidemic, the health chief said, “The
Philippines has already adopted and instituted measures
in key areas like governance, prevention, treatment,
care and support.”
In the
area of governance, he said, the local health system is
being strengthened through a series of trainings for
health-service providers and the procurement of basic
laboratory equipment for social hygiene clinics in
identified risk zones.
Antiretroviral therapy guidelines and voluntary
counseling and treatment protocols have also been
approved by the DOH, while mechanisms for monitoring and
evaluation are also now in place, Duque added.
The DOH
has been implementing its prevention program in
partnership with 39 local government units (LGUs). HIV
or AIDS responses were set up in LGUs, including
100-percent condom use programs in 15 sites, 32 public
voluntary-counseling centers and nine for the adoption
of harm-reduction programs among low-profile injecting
drug users.
In
treatment, care and support, 336 patients are receiving
free antiretroviral treatment in 11 treatment hubs all
over the country.
The
Philippine Health Insurance Corp. has also approved
health benefits for people living with HIV or AIDS.
They are
also given community-based trainings in care, support
and treatment together with their families. (S. Fabunan) |
