Cavite mulls creation of body for HIV-AIDS

CAVITE, Philippines – The Cavite Provincial Health Office (PHO) has recommended the creation of a Council for HIV-AIDS that will oversee year-round the province’s awareness and prevention program for the contagious and incurable disease.

The move was made following a report from the Department of Health (DoH) that Cavite is one of the three provinces in the country with the highest prevalence of HIV-AIDS.

Provincial Health Office (PHO) Medical III Doctor Gerardo S. Alcantara, chairman of the Cavite HIV Task Force, said that there are HIV-AIDS cases in Cavite’s 22 of 23 cities and towns.

Alcantara said that Amadeo town is the only area in Cavite that has no HIV-AIDS case. “There are HIV-AIDS cases in 22 of 23 cities and towns of Cavite. We are focused particularly in Dasmariñas City, Imus and Bacoor. The only town that has no case is Amadeo,” Alcantara said in an interview.

The doctor said that Cavite, Bohol Sharif Kabunsuan, Maguindanao, are the three areas in the country with the highest number of PLHIV (People Living with HIV).

Alcantara confirmed that there were an accumulated 185 HIV-AIDS cases in Cavite from 1984 up to the present, based on reports obtained from the DoH.

The ages of those afflicted range between 19 and 60, said Alcantara. He claimed that at least 30 PLHIV are now under the care of a concerned organization called Cavite Support Group.

The national and provincial health office and other concerned public and private agencies are all-out as far as HIV-AIDS prevention, control, awareness and information dissemination are concerned in Cavite, said Alcantara.

Governor Juanito Victor (Jonvic) Remulla is expected to call a meeting for a briefing on the HIV-AIDS situation in Cavite. –ANTHONY GIRON, Manila Bulletin