Patrol ng Pilipino: Rising HIV cases among OFWs

After his partner died, 35-year old Aidan, not his real name, flew to the Middle East to start a new life as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW).

Fortunately, he landed a job as a data analyst.

But the result of his medical tests kept haunting him. Aidan was positive with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the disease that took away the life of his boyfriend.

The latest figures from DOH show that sexual contact is the leading mode of HIV transmission. Males having sex with other males was the predominant type of sexual transmission.

The latest figures from DOH show that sexual contact is the leading mode of HIV transmission. Males having sex with other males was the predominant type of sexual transmission.

“I went back and forth the public health thrice because they said my blood had problems. The fourth time I came back, they barely spoke to me. The next thing I knew, the police locked me up in the hospital and cuffed my hands and feet,” Aidan said.

He felt the discrimination of people against the likes of him who had HIV. After a month of being detained, he was sent back to the Philippines.

“I and a few others rode a truck with bars. My flight was scheduled at 10:30 and they made me board at 10:25, “Aidan said.

From the 324 cases reported in 1984, HIV cases in the country reached up to 6,498 this year.

What recently alarmed the Department of Health (DOH) is that almost 500 cases of HIV have been reported for this year alone. And 67 of these reported cases were OFWs.

“Filipinos working abroad are commonly the ones taking the screening test to find out if they are positive with HIV. If they are, they no longer have a chance to work abroad, and that’s a kind of discrimination, said Department of Health (DOH) spokesperson Eric Tayag.

According to Tayag, in 2000, only one case of HIV was reported every 3 days; but today, we have 5 reported cases of HIV every day, If not prevented, the number of HIV cases in the country might reach 65,000 by 2015.

In response to this rising number of HIV cases, the DOH, together with other NGOs are on a campaign to educate the public on how to avoid getting HIV and where to seek help from regarding it.

“This includes education, condom distribution, the dissemination of information, literature, brochures on HIV and where they can get help in terms of counseling and testing. If identified as positive, our treatment hubs are available nationwide,” said Bric Bernas, Executive Director of the AIDS Society of the Philippines.

“Our message for our OFWs, if you suspect that you need to be tested,please don’t waste time. Our social hygiene clinics are open to attend to your needs and to help you avoid any health risks,” Tayag added. –Cherrie Anne Ongteco, Multimedia Producer, Patrol ng Pilipino