Young man in Cebu tests HIV positive

A 24-YEAR-OLD man who just graduated from a six-month vocational course is the latest to contract the dreaded human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Cebu.

Jun (not his real name), who was set to work abroad, had approached Dr. Rene Joseff Bullecer, head of AIDS Free Philippines, to undergo an HIV test. He tested positive last Nov. 23 and is now undergoing a series of counseling.

Bullecer said Jun had confessed to him that he had had multiple sexual partners, both male and female. After testing positive for HIV, Jun will no longer be able to work abroad.

The latest HIV case in Cebu has worried Bullecer. He said the age of people contracting HIV is becoming younger and blamed this on declining moral values of young adults.

Out of the 41 cases recorded by AIDS Free Philippines, more than 70 are in their early 20s. The youngest is an 18-year-old male.

Bullecer said that most of the cases involved men engaging in sex with other men.

AIDS Free Philippines holds seminars about HIV for youths but remains adamant that condom use is not the solution to stopping the spread of the dreaded virus, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Bullecer said condoms do not offer 100 percent protection from the AIDS virus. He said that abstinence and being faithful remains the most effective solution against HIV.

“Show me any country that allows condoms and if their HIV cases went down,” Bullecer said.

The Cebu City Health Department has recorded 173 HIV cases from January to November 20 this year compared to only 16 HIV cases in the same period last year.

Dr. Ilya Tac-an said her office stopped distributing free syringes to drug users last September as part of their harm-reduction program but still promotes 100 percent condom use.

She said their surveillance has already ended, thus they discontinued the distribution of syringes. .

Free HIV tests are conducted by the City Health Department. There is still no known cure for Aids. –Cebu Daily News