DOH to focus AIDS awareness among HS students

ILOILO CITY, Nov. 21 (PIA6) — The Department of Health Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD)-6 is set to focus its AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) awareness campaign towards high school students in Western Visayas.
Charity Perea, Regional Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Coordinator of DOH-6, said that more than 50 percent of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus infection) and AIDS cases in the Philippines come from the 20-29 year-old age group, based on the Philippine HIV and AIDS Registry.

Perea said that the persons infected with HIV and AIDS are getting younger and younger, that means the teenagers are already prone to risky behaviors leading to the infection.

She said that even with the growing population of persons living with HIV (PLHIV), those who are free from infection are not being left behind in the AIDS awareness advocacy.

She said that she hopes to strengthen their partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) to integrate AIDS education in the high school curriculum for both public and private schools.

“It is also my hope that school teachers be given the awareness on this concern so they could also help the students in their own ways,” said Perea.
The DOH official also said that anyone in the education sector can be a counselor to their peers, the school children, and those who need their help.

Perea added that as of October 2013, there are 89 recorded PLHIVs in Western Visayas with 4 cases of deaths. (JSC/LTP-PIA6 Iloilo)
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