Manila Bulletin
Gov't cost for antiretroviral therapy of Filipinos stricken with HIV to reach P1 billion a year
Gov't cost for antiretroviral therapy of Filipinos stricken with HIV to reach P1 billion a year
Gov't cost for antiretroviral therapy of Filipinos stricken with HIV to reach P1 billion a year
By Rica Arevalo
Published Sep 8, 2019 05:53 pm
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Michael Defensor said on Sunday the government will have to shell out some P1 billion annually to support the antiretroviral therapy (ART) of the growing number of Filipinos living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Michael Defensor (AnaKalusugan partylist Cong. Michael Defensor Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The former Quezon City representative noted that the Department of Health (DOH) was already spending around P478 million every year for the 38,279 Filipinos living with HIV, who are undergoing life-saving ART.
“The amount is likely to balloon to P1 billion annually by 2022, as more Filipinos living with HIV emerge and seek treatment,” Defensor said in a statement, citing that a single course of treatment for one HIV patient in a year costs between P12,500 to P15,000.
“We assume that some 10,000 new HIV cases will be discovered annually over the next three years and that the DOH will succeed in getting 90 percent of them to undergo ART,” he said.
He described as "a fair estimate" the 10,000 new HIV cases to be diagnosed annually, considering that based on DOH data, an annual average of 10,588 new HIV cases were diagnosed countrywide between 2016 and 2018.
“Congress is absolutely committed to find ways to help the DOH achieve its 90-90-90 target in fighting HIV,” Defensor said.
As the DOH’s National HIV and AIDS Registry has disclosed that from January to May this year, another 5,366 new HIV cases were discovered nationwide, he asked the DOH to pour in resources in preventive programs.
“We would also urge not just the DOH but also provincial, city and municipal health offices in regions with high HIV concentrations to invest more aggressively in preventive programs,” Defensor said.
The DOH is eyeing to diagnose 90 percent of all HIV cases in the country, treat 90 percent of those detected, and to suppress the virus in 90 percent of those receiving treatment, he noted.
Currently, only 57 percent of 67,395 cases listed in the National HIV and AIDS Registry, as of May this year receive ART or a total of 38,279 Filipinos.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people living with HIV in the early stages can continue to live normal and economically productive lives as long as their viral load is kept suppressed by ART.
Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Michael Defensor (AnaKalusugan partylist Cong. Michael Defensor Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The former Quezon City representative noted that the Department of Health (DOH) was already spending around P478 million every year for the 38,279 Filipinos living with HIV, who are undergoing life-saving ART.
“The amount is likely to balloon to P1 billion annually by 2022, as more Filipinos living with HIV emerge and seek treatment,” Defensor said in a statement, citing that a single course of treatment for one HIV patient in a year costs between P12,500 to P15,000.
“We assume that some 10,000 new HIV cases will be discovered annually over the next three years and that the DOH will succeed in getting 90 percent of them to undergo ART,” he said.
He described as "a fair estimate" the 10,000 new HIV cases to be diagnosed annually, considering that based on DOH data, an annual average of 10,588 new HIV cases were diagnosed countrywide between 2016 and 2018.
“Congress is absolutely committed to find ways to help the DOH achieve its 90-90-90 target in fighting HIV,” Defensor said.
As the DOH’s National HIV and AIDS Registry has disclosed that from January to May this year, another 5,366 new HIV cases were discovered nationwide, he asked the DOH to pour in resources in preventive programs.
“We would also urge not just the DOH but also provincial, city and municipal health offices in regions with high HIV concentrations to invest more aggressively in preventive programs,” Defensor said.
The DOH is eyeing to diagnose 90 percent of all HIV cases in the country, treat 90 percent of those detected, and to suppress the virus in 90 percent of those receiving treatment, he noted.
Currently, only 57 percent of 67,395 cases listed in the National HIV and AIDS Registry, as of May this year receive ART or a total of 38,279 Filipinos.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people living with HIV in the early stages can continue to live normal and economically productive lives as long as their viral load is kept suppressed by ART.