HIV treatment free, but fear of stigma traps those with virus

AS the International Aids Candlelight Memorial Day approaches, the Department of Health (DOH) 7 encouraged persons living with HIV to avail themselves of medical care and treatment.

“Even though we have all of these services available and have emphasized that’s it’s also free, we still have a lot of people who don’t access our services,” Dr. Van Phillip Baton said during the Association of Government Information Officers 7 forum yesterday.

Baton stressed that the fear of stigma or discrimination keeps people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) from availing themselves of the free treatment.

He said that that is the goal of the International Aids Candlelight Memorial Day: to make everyone aware that anyone can have access to the medicines for the symptoms of HIV, and that they only need to come out and ask for it.

HIV, which causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Aids), attacks the immune system, making people much more vulnerable to infections and diseases.

“The goal of the HIV Aids Program worldwide is that no one should die of Aids, eliminating Aids within our lifetime” he noted.

Since HIV data collection began in 1984, the DOH 7 recorded 4,165 cases of HIV and 257 Aids cases as of June last year.

Baton said the activities being prepared for International Aids Candlelight Memorial Day on May 20 are spearheaded by the different local government units. (Ginalyn Astudillo, CNU Intern)

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