Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Mike Defensor has expressed concern over the possible surge of new human immunodeficiency virus or HIV infections which could be brought by the disruptions in public health services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Defensor on Sunday called on the next members of the Congress "to increase annual funding for HIV prevention and treatment" after finding out that the country’s cumulative confirmed HIV caseload could breach the 100,000-mark within the first half of this year.
"A total of 12,341 new HIV infections were diagnosed in the country in 2021, up by 54 percent from the 8,036 new cases detected in 2020," he said.
Defensor said "difficulties associated with the pandemic may have discouraged many Filipinos from seeking HIV testing, even if they suspect that they may be infected," so it is important to address such a problem.
"If a person living with HIV is not diagnosed right away, then that individual could be unknowingly spreading the infection," the lawmaker said.
He is also concerned about people living with HIV who "may have fallen out of treatment, also due to complications related to the pandemic."
"Right now, only 63 percent of the cases are receiving treatment, which is way below the 90 percent target," he said.