Wednesday, August 27, 2008 Pinoys with HIV-Aids rise
CASES of Filipinos inflicted with human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-Aids) has increased despite efforts of the government to institute preventive measures.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the admission during Tuesday’s opening of the three-day second regional consultative meeting on Universal Access to Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support in Low Prevalence Countries held at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City.
Duque said from the 20 cases per month recorded in the previous years, it climbed to 29 cases per month since last year.
“Although the Philippines remains to be a low prevalence country, it should not be a reason to be complacent as statistics and trends show that the number of those infected are on the rise,” he said.
With the threat of the Aids epidemic spreading even in low prevalence countries, the Aids Commission Report commented that it now becomes imperative to focus attention on prevention activities geared towards vulnerable populations and a scale-up response for making available affordable treatments and control interventions.
Duque also explained that all the main ingredients for an Aids epidemic are already in place. Transmission through heterosexual contact decreased from 193 in 2006 to 139 in 2007. However, transmission from homosexual (81 to 107) and bisexual contact (26 to 74) increased.
At the same time, the health secretary admitted that the use of condom among the most at risk population remains below the universal access target.
Records of the 2007 Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serologic Surveillance showed that only 48 percent of female sex workers, 27 percent of injecting drug users, and 49 percent of men having sex with men who have had sex with multiple partners used a condom.
But Duque said the Philippines has already adopted and instituted measures in key areas like governance, prevention, treatment, care and support.
According to him, 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 located in identified risk zones.
He said anti-retroviral therapy guidelines and voluntary counseling and treatment protocols have also been approved by the Department of Health (DOH) while mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation are also now in place.
In the area of prevention, 39 local government units (LGUs) have set up local HIV-Aids responses. These include 100 percent condom use programs in 15 sites, the establishment of 32 public voluntary counseling centers, the adoption of harm reduction programs among low profile injecting drug users in nine LGUs, and fostering cooperation and coordination with faith-based sectors.
In the area of treatment, care and support, 336 patients are now receiving free anti-retroviral treatment in 11 treatment hubs put up all over the country.
Likewise, Duque reported that Philhealth (Philippine Health Corporation) has also approved health benefits for people with HIV-Aids. They are also given community-based trainings in care, support, and treatment together with their families.
Meanwhile, there are now 3,305 HIV cases reported in the country since 1984, of which 793 are Aids cases.
Out of the 793 Aids cases, 310 had already died. Sexual intercourse (88 percent) remains the leading mode of transmission.
In the 2006 Regional Consultation in Pattaya, Thailand, participating countries acknowledged that low prevalence countries have distinct issues which challenge the attainment of their targets towards universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support.
These issues include minimal resources allocation, weak government commitment, inactive civil society participation, and low coverage of programs, which reflect the low prioritization given to the Aids problem in some low prevalence countries.
Countries with low HIV-Aids prevalence include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Fiji, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines.
The objectives of the second regional meet are: to review progress among the low prevalence countries; identify steps to address the gaps in the operationalization of the 2006 Ulaanbaatar Call for Action; identify emerging issues and scaling up national Aids responses towards universal access; and reaffirm political commitment among governments, civil societies and international agencies by adopting concrete moves towards universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support. (MSN/Sunnex)
