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Wednesday, September 20, 2006
42 Ilonggos with AIDS
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
DESPITE government's efforts to heighten public awareness on the Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the number of those affected continues to rise.
As of last month, the Regional Sexually Transmitted Infection-Human Immuno Virus-Aids Center in Western Visayas reported 12 new cases, bringing the total number of Ilonggos living with AIDS to 42.
Of the 42, more than 10 are from Negros Occidental - including a disc jockey, a nurse and a housewife. The rest are mostly seamen and are coming from the other parts of Western Visayas.
The 12 new cases this year though is much lesser than the 30 cases noted by the Department of Health (DOH) in August last year.
But Western Visayas Regional STI HIV/Aids Coordinator Charity Perea said the decrease in the number of reported cases this year is still not a sign that they are winning the war as she also pointed out that the number of People Living with HIV/Aids in the region continues to rise.
Last May, the center recorded six new cases. By early September, six more were recorded bringing the number of those with HIV/Aids to 42.
Most of them are women.
Perea believed that the figure is just the "tip of the iceberg" as she cited the latest survey worldwide that more than 300,000 people have AIDS and around 900,000 have also been infected with HIV.
The study also showed that about 40,000 new HIV infections are recorded every year.
AIDS is caused by HIV and is the leading cause of death worldwide since the mid-90s. The most common mode of transmission is through sexual intercourse.
However, it could also be transmitted through the sharing of a medical needle and by blood transfusion among others.
The HIV symptoms include fever, headache, sore muscles and joints, stomachache, swollen lymph glands, or a skin rash for one or two weeks.
Although the common cause of death for those with AIDS is pneumonia, a person could also die of other health complications.
Perea said the DOH, through the provincial health offices in the region, are doing counseling for all those with HIV and Aids to help them cope with the reality they are facing.
She also said it is only in Western Visayas that those with AIDS are grouping themselves.
Perea said the Regional Center for people living with HIV/Aids are geared toward helping them live normal lives by giving them access to care and support services.
In Negros Occidental, Provincial Health Officer Luisa Efren said that aside from the medical treatment against opportunistic infection brought about by a complication of HIV infection, they are also giving free counseling for all Negrense HIV/AIDS patients.
"We are also venturing into community counseling so the patients won't experience condemnation from their neighbors," added Efren.
As to the mortality, Efren said more than 20 Negrenses have already died of HIV/AIDS since 1993.
(September 20, 2006 issue)
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