A memorial day for HIV/AIDS victims. MindaNews file photo
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 15 December) – Cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) continued its “alarming” rise in Region 12 (Soccsksargen), with two localities listed among the country’s “high burden” sites.
The region’s HIV cases already reached 3,221 as of June this year and are expected to further increase due to the expanded testing among the vulnerable population, said Dr. Camille Fugio, the regional medical officer for Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) and HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) of the Department of Health (DOH)-Region 12.
She said the figure is the latest validated data from the DOH’s Epidemiology Bureau and cumulative since it started reporting HIV cases. The DOH reported the first HIV case in 1984.
South Cotabato province, including Koronadal City, posted the most number of cases with 978, followed by this city with 944, North Cotabato with 517, Sultan Kudarat with 371, and Sarangani with 189.
Cotabato City, which is now under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, has 222 cases.
This city and Koronadal City were included in the list of Category A sites or “high burden” localities for HIV/AIDS.
“Geographically, these are the main convergence areas of the region, and where people come for school or work,” Fugio said Wednesday in an online forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency-Region 12.
Almira Solaiman, regional nurse coordinator for STI and HIV/AIDS, said HIV cases have been on the rise among young adults and professionals or 15 to 24 and 25 to 34 years-old.
She said they have partnered with the Department of Education as well as colleges and universities for safe sex and expanded testing advocacy among students.
“Medyo alarming po siya…umaakyat ang cases and possible nasa schools lang ang ating potential clients (It is quite alarming. The cases have been increasing and it’s possible that our potential clients are in our schools),” she said.
Solaiman said free HIV screening and testing are available in all rural health units in the region, and clients now have the option to avail of self-testing kits as alternative to the facility-based testing.
DOH-12 has established “condom access points” in selected restaurants, bars, convenience stores and other vital establishments in this city and Koronadal.
She said the initiative is aimed to increase awareness and advocacy on safe sex among vulnerable populations like transgender women and men having sex with men or MSMs.
“When we say condom access points, we have agreements with them where we supply them with condoms and lubricants for free,” Solaiman said.
Through its partnership with the Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc., she said they mapped potential hotspots in key localities and provided free testing and counseling among potential clients.
Fugio said DOH continues to support the antiretroviral drug treatment for HIV patients through the 11 established treatment hubs in the region.
She said Koronadal and this city have three treatment hubs each, North Cotabato has two, and Sultan Kudarat has one. The two other facilities are based in Cotabato City.
“We’re continually working to expand these facilities and make our testing and treatment services more accessible,” she said. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)
