HIV AWARENESS. The HIV awareness program starts with a candlelight ceremony in front of the Philippine Information Agency building on Visayas Avenue in Quezon City on Monday (May 8, 2023). The ceremony commemorates the hardships faced by PLHIVs and the people who have died from HIV. (PNA photo by Ma. Teresa Montemayor)
MANILA – The daily average confirmed cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the country has increased to 54 in March this year.
In a media Kapihan forum, San Lazaro Hospital AIDS Core Team specialist Dr. Dennis Gregg Almonte said HIV cases nationwide are on the rise since 2013 when daily average was only 13.
“In 2018, it went up to 31, then 41 in 2022, and 54 this 2023,” he said.
For March 2023 alone, the Department of Health (DOH) has logged 2,078 cases of HIV. Of the tally, about 1,981 are male and 97 are female.
The most number of cases are under the age group of 15 to 24 years old.
From 1983 to present, a total of 114,008 HIV cases have been recorded nationwide.
“Dito po sa amin sa (Here in) San Lazaro as of December 9, 2022, our total HIV patients alive on ART [antiretroviral treatment] is 2,466 and our total private clients alive on ART is 445, with a total of clients alive on ART, 2,911,” Almonte said.
The goal of the DOH is to prompt the treatment of HIV-related diseases, prevent such diseases, control HIV infection, restore the immunity status of the patients and provide psychosocial support for them.
The department offers free HIV testing and medications in designated treatment hubs nationwide.
As patients undergo ART, Almonte said they have to emphasize that it has limitations, such as it is not curative and there are HIV drug resistance and intra-class cross resistance.
“Depending on the ARV the patient is taking, we also tell them the side effects of ARV, puwede po sila makaranas ng pagkahilo (they could experience dizziness, vivid dreams, or worst, we inform their treatment partners that antiretrovirals have hallucination factor and if ever it happens, they have to send the patient right away to our treatment hub here at San Lazaro hospital,” he added.
For the patients to have quality life, they are advised to adhere to the lifetime treatment.
In line with this, there are care and support organizations who encourage patients and their families as soon as they are enrolled to the ART.
“Along the way, marami po and bibitiw sa laban (many will give up the fight). We can only do so much for our patients,” Almonte said.
“So, we have these groups helping patients, treatment partners and care givers such as Positive Action Foundation Philippines, Inc., Pinoy Plus Advocacy Pilipinas, Positibong Marino, The Project Red Ribbon Care Management Foundation, and Love Yourself.” (PNA)
