DAVAO Region recorded 449 new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases from January 2022 to June 2022, the Department of Health Davao Region (DOH-Davao) reported.
“From January 2022 to June 2022, a total of 449 new HIV cases were already recorded, among these, 429 are male, while 20 are female,” DOH said in their press statement on October 6, 2022.
DOH said that in 2021 the Regional HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) reported a total of 731 HIV/AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndromes) cases in the region where 698 are male and 33 females. Since 1993, the total number of cases in the region are now 5,654.
DOH said the trend when it comes to transmission has always been consistent through the years.
“The most common mode of transmission are males having sex with males only about 57 percent followed by males having sex with males and females (30 percent), male to female sex (12 percent), mother to child transmission which is 0.2 percent and 0.8 percent come from the unknown mode of transmission,” DOH said.
Meanwhile, according to DOH, Davao Region has a total of 43 HIV testing facilities, four HIV Treatment facilities in Davao Doctors Hospital ARTU Clinic, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Hope and Care Today (HACT), Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) and Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) Red Star Clinic.
“The availability of these facilities in different provinces in the region gives the intended population access to testing, counseling, management, and treatment,” DOH said.
DOH Undersecretary for Visayas and Mindanao Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr. said people should not be afraid to take an HIV test.
“Kailangan po ng kooperasyon sa inyo, hindi po kayo pwedeng magtago, magpabaya, hindi natin pwedeng hayaan nalang ang ating healthcare workers na maghanap sa inyo, kayo po ang lumapit sa amin (We need your cooperation, don’t hide. Instead, come to us so that we can help you),” Dumama Jr. said.
He said that healthcare services are available and free.
“We will gladly provide services to you, we will gladly help you at wala po kayong intindihin kung gastos ang problema wala pong bayad ito at kung confidentiality mabibigyan po namin kayo ng ganon. Rest assured na ang inyong treatment and test, even mental health issues ay bibigyan po natin ng atensyon (and you don’t need to worry about any expenses since it's free, if you want confidentiality we can also give you that. Rest assured that you will get the right treatment as well as mental health issues help),” Dumama Jr. said. KSD