DATA presented by the Alliance Against Aids (Alagad) showed that in the last three decades, 2,525 people in Davao City have been diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Of this number, 2,393 are males while 132 are females.
For the whole country, at present, there is an average of 31 individuals being diagnosed with HIV per day. Since 1984, there are 58,181 reported cases of people living with HIV in the whole country.
Though the number may be small compared to the general population of Davao City and the country as a whole, it is still alarming considering that while HIV-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Aids) cases in other countries are going down, the cases in the Philippines are on the rise.
“The Philippines has become the country with the fastest growing HIV epidemic in Asia and the Pacific, and has become one of eight countries that account for more than 85% of new HIV infections in the region,” the Department of Health said in a statement in 2017.
However, there is a silver lining to this alarming issue, DOH said “the number of new infections in the Philippines is not as high as several countries in the region which are estimated to have tens of thousands of new infections annually.”
The national government and local government unit have done its part in helping address the rising cases of HIV-Aids in the country through its information and education campaign and the establishments of healthcare facilities for patients.
What should be done by now is improving the discussion of HIV-Aids among the general public. In the current context of the Philippine Society, discussions on sex or reproductive health are still deemed taboo or are frowned upon. Discussions on this matter are usually done in whispers.
When discussed in groups, you can hear giggles of some participants while others joke around the topic; this could be a sign of discomfort to the topic or lack of mature understanding towards the topic.
Some people trying to discuss matters on sex and reproductive health try to censor it to the point that it leaves out important details.
We cannot settle on the mindset that the discussion of sex or reproductive health should be discussed among adults only. Philippine society must develop a mature mindset towards sex and reproductive health. Advocates and the government can do this by making people understand the importance of the topic -- Why sex is not simply pleasure; why it is being done by two consenting adults; why we should wear contraceptives; why we should do it to those who we trust only; and the like.
Advocates and the government should work hand-in-hand in developing a communication campaign tailored-fit to various ages and groups -- what should be discussed among children; how can parents give sex talk to their kids; or how teachers can effectively discuss reproductive health to their students.
We must also continue to push a better understanding on HIV-Aids to the public. There are still people who will pull or push away people when they find out these people have the disease.
By fostering a better understanding on sex and reproductive health within families or the young generation, we might be able to save the future generation from contracting HIV-Aids. This is because that once they reach a certain point in their lives where they will have sex, they are already well aware about the dangers of unsafe sex.