Still misunderstood since it wreaked havoc in the 1980s, this epidemic keeps spreading through shame, secrecy, and silence

Northern Samar is stepping up its drive against human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) to rid the province of the illness.

The local government has mapped out strategies to strengthen its program against HIV/AIDS, according to Northern Samar provincial information officer John Allen Berbon

“We have a two-way approach—prevention and treatment. The province will scale up the availability and access to testing and treatment services from rural health units up to the provincial hospital. All services are free,” he said.

The testing will prioritize vulnerable populations, pregnant women, and teens.

The province will create municipal HIV/AIDS councils and strengthen the provincial HIV/AIDS council to support the activities, promote the rights of the infected, and provide services to them in all private and public institutions without discrimination.

Also included is the promotion of ABCDEs of prevention—Abstinence, Be mutually faithful, Correct and consistent use of condoms and safe sexual practices, Do not inject drugs, and Education and early detection.

“We are providing sex education appropriate for age in schools and empower parents to engage their children in healthy conversations regarding sexual and reproductive health. We will also create a stigma-free, inclusive, and non-discriminatory environment at work, in schools, health facilities, establishments, communities, and many more,” Berbon added.

The advocacy on the prevention of HIV/AIDS will be strengthened in communities in partnership with local government, education, and health workers. The information drive will tackle misconceptions and disseminate correct information on HIV/AIDS.

Though the total HIV prevalence in the Philippines is less than one percent, the total estimated number of people living with HIV in 2020 still reached 115,100. Further, if the rapid increase in new infections is sustained, the estimated number of people living with HIV will triple by 2030 and reach over 330,000. —Department of Health

As of March 2022, the province has recorded 148 cases of HIV/AIDS, with 46 reported to have already died of complications. Some are still undergoing treatment. Health officials started monitoring cases in 1984. Since then, over the past 38 years, cases in Eastern Visayas have reached 1,399.

About 92 of those infected have died, shared DOH-Eastern Visayas information officer Jelyn Lopez-Malibago.

Of the 1,399 cases recorded from 1984 to May 2022, 736 were in Leyte province, 212 in Samar, 148 in Northern Samar, 129 in Southern Leyte, 107 in Eastern Samar, and 67 in Biliran.

Leyte province also recorded the highest number of deaths at 40, followed by Northern Samar (15), Southern Leyte (11), Samar (10), Eastern Samar (10), and Biliran (6).

Majority or 92.28 percent of the infected are male. Only 7.72 percent are female. About 56.64 percent of the infected are between the ages of 25 to 34.

The leading mode of transmission of HIV/AIDS remains to be male to male sex and sex with multiple partners.

“Aside from unprotected sex and mother-to-child transmission, other ways to get infected with the disease is through the transmission of contaminated blood,” says Malibago, adding that this is alarming, prompting the DOH to continue to partner with other agencies to address the further spread of the HIV/AIDS.

The DOH targets that by the end of this year, some 90 percent of all persons with HIV would be aware of their health status and start taking medications.

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. If untreated, a person’s immune system will eventually be destroyed, according to Avert, an organization based in the UK.

AIDS, on the other hand, refers to a set of symptoms and illnesses that occur at the very final stage of HIV infection. (PNA)