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Sunday, January 01, 2006
Health office monitors STD cases
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
DESPITE how local health officials believe that prevalence of the dreaded HIV-Aids in the region is still "low and slow," still, the government agencies along with other multi-sectoral groups are not taking any chances.
Their statement was made amid the report conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) in Northern Mindanao that there are now a total of 2,333 HIV zero-positive cases found in the country and that 802 or 39 percent were Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
There is also a marked shift this year as more males than females are suspected to be carriers of the virus.
During a recent press conference, DOH regional specialist Dr. Simer Belacho said they still do not have the numbers as to how many persons, if there are any, who are suffering from HIV-Aids in Northern Mindanao.
But Belacho said the statistics does not exactly matter much but on the lifestyle of the individual.
"It is not the numbers or on who we are but on what we do," he said.
Nevertheless, Belacho said the national statistics showed how there are now a total of 2,333 HIV zero-positive cases or those who have initially been tested is not so alarming as yet.
"It is still low and slow -- we are just fortunate that because of our faith and religion, good habits and good behavior, the virus has not yet really become so widespread," he said.
But Belacho said there is a growing concern on how most of those who were tested to be infected with HIV are OFWs.
He said of the 2,333 HIV zero-positive cases, 802 or 39 percent were OFWs of which 280 or 36 percent were seafarers, 128 or 16 percent were domestic helpers.
"There is also a shift as there are now more males as to females," he said citing how 75 percent of the OFWs were males.
Belacho said 92 percent of those OFWs tested came to be infected through sexual intercourse.
"Sexual intercourse remains to be the predominant mode of transmission in both sexes," Belacho said.
Belacho, lawyer Foster Anayron of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Northern Mindanao, Dr. Joselito Retuya of City Health Office of Cagayan de Oro, Chona Palomares of the local STD HIV and AIDS Council Carina Sajonia of Talikala Foundation Inc., Barangay 8 SK chairman Mark Vincent Datoy of Kartada Youth Movement all vowed to work harder to raise the social consciousness on STD and on the dreaded HIV-Aids this coming 2006.
Anayron disclosed that several memoranda have been passed by the DILG to help raise awareness on these health concerns.
"Because admittedly the local chief executives can help so much by making sure their constituents are well informed as they are very vulnerable," he said.
Anayron added there is even already a memorandum enjoining local executives to make sure that they provide their community with HIV care and support.
Retuya and Palamores said they are not only providing inexpensive testing but also counseling.
They said there is pre-counseling before testing is done and then post-canceling should the person be found to have positive results.
"We would like to give them all the support we could give," Palomares said.
Meanwhile, Sajonia said they are working with prostituted women and others who also need their help.
"We help them by empowering them and teaching them tips on how to negotiate on using condoms for protection," she said.
Datoy for his part said their Kartada Movement is also touching on the youth sector in everyway that they can.
(December 31, 2005 issue)
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