HIV-tainted blood donations continue to increase

The number of units of donated blood contaminated with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) rose by 18 percent this year, according to data from the latest Philippine HIV/AIDS Registry.

The registry’s data, which was posted on the Philippine National Aids Council website, showed that there were 167 units of HIV-positive donated blood as recorded by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) from January to August this year.

About 142 HIV-positive units were found in the same time period last year.

Of the increase in HIV-tainted blood donations, LPG Marketers Association partylist Rep. Arnel Ty said “the rising figures clearly suggest that we have many HIV cases which remain undiagnosed and unreported.”

Ty is one of the authors of the proposed Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support Policy Act. The bill enjoins specific agencies to support Filipinos living with HIV, as well as raise awareness about the disease.

Data from the registry also showed that HIV cases in general are also on the rise, following a trend that has been going on for the last decade.

From Jan. to Aug. this year, there was a total of 2,150 recorded HIV cases, with 272 cases reported in August alone. In the same period last year, there were 1,416 recorded HIV cases.

According to the registry, the highest number of infections is reported to have come from sexual contact. Less than one percent of the total number of HIV cases since 1984 was transmitted through a blood transfusion. — DVM, GMA News