MATI CITY, Davao Oriental — As the number of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases continues to rise nationwide, the Davao Oriental Provincial Health Office (DO-PHO) is ramping up efforts to ensure that HIV testing and medications are easily accessible at rural health units and local government hospitals.
Speaking during the Kolokabildo sang Davao Oriental, Provincial HIV and TB Program Manager Mark Jade Dela Cruz revealed that, in addition to free medications, all local government units (LGUs) in the province now have trained counselors who provide HIV counseling and testing services for free.
“Ang 11 LGUs nato naa nay mga counselors, nag-training mi last time, tanang LGU nato allowed na sila mag-test, maghatag og counselling ug mag-monitor sa mga pasyente. Libre pud ang testing nato, naa pu’y tambal na available na libre,” Dela Cruz shared.
(Our 11 LGUs in the province now have counselors. We trained them last time so that they can facilitate the HIV test, provide counseling, and monitor patients. Our testing is free, and the medicines are also available for free.)
Meanwhile, provincial health officer Dr. Reden Bersaldo shared that the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center (DOPMC) in Mati City has established a dedicated dispensing hub where HIV patients can access free medications for free and in private.
Also, he said that they plan to expand the facility into a treatment hub so that patients no longer need to travel to nearby cities to access treatment services.
“Ang atong gibuhat karon sa DOPMC, naa tay dispensing hub sa mga tambal para ubang patients nato dili na kailangang mo-adto og DRMC, but soon among plano gyud ana mahimo gyud siyang treatment hub, nay counselling, nay staff nga dedicated to that,” Bersaldo said.
(What we are doing now at DOPMC is that we have established a dispensing hub for medicines so that some of our patients don’t have to go to DRMC, but soon our plan is to make it a treatment hub, with counseling services and staff to facilitate the services.)
While they cannot compel individuals, especially those with high-risk sexual behavior, to get tested, as stipulated in Republic Act No. 11166 or the HIV/Aids Law, Dela Cruz said that they are strengthening their advocacy and education campaign to encourage them to get tested.
“Ang HIV, ‘di man gud nato mapugos magpa-test ang patients kay voluntary man gud na naa man na sa HIV law, ang among role lang gyud mag-advocacy, naga-adto mi’s schools, even sa hospitals para sa awareness program ug HIV counselling ug testing,” Dela Cruz explained.
(For HIV, we can’t force patients to get tested because it’s voluntary as stated in the HIV law. Our role is really just advocacy. We go to schools, even hospitals, for awareness programs and HIV counseling and testing.)
Bersaldo added that they are also using these platforms to continuously remind the public to always use protection to avoid contracting the disease, aside from encouraging regular testing.
As stigma surrounding the disease persists, Bersaldo emphasized that a major part of their campaign is assuring the public that their privacy is protected, including those undergoing testing, as stipulated in the HIV law.
Since 1993, Bersaldo revealed that there have been 298 recorded HIV cases in the province. Between January and February of this year alone, seven new cases were recorded. Most patients fall within the 14 to 30 age group. PIA DAVAO