AIDS Day: Gov’t steps up info drive

MANILA, Philippines – The government has embarked on a massive education and all-out awareness campaign to prevent the spread of AIDS, a Palace official said yesterday as the country joined the observance of World AIDS Day.

“The most important aspects are the educational and the consciousness campaign so that those who are at risk will not fall victim and will avoid being infected with the disease,” Press Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier reported a record high of 491 new HIV cases in October.

Of the new cases posted, 38 have progressed into full-blown AIDS.

The DOH also reported five HIV deaths for the month of October.

Coloma said the government has ongoing programs aimed at reducing, if not totally eliminating HIV cases.

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“We have started with the awareness and education campaign. We also have preventive measures aside from the repeated warnings or reminders to the public, where government provides concrete steps in avoiding to have such a disease,” he said.

He said the government is focused on the youth, who are the most vulnerable to contracting human immunodeficiency virus.

The DOH recorded 491 cases of HIV in October, or 66 percent higher compared to the 295 cases during the same period last year.

Most of the cases (445 or 90.6 percent) were acquired through sexual contact. Needle sharing among injecting drug users accounted for 45 cases, while mother-to-child transmission, one.

Males having sex with other males were the predominant type of sexual transmission, accounting for 382 cases or 86 percent.

The 491 new cases brought to 4,072 the number of HIV cases in the country this year.

DOH: Use condom

The DOH yesterday renewed calls for condom use, saying it is an effective way to prevent the spread of HIV/ AIDS.

“Unprotected sex is risk factor for HIV. Better use condom,” Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said.

Tayag said people who have more than just one sexual partner and indulge in risky sexual behavior are at great risk of acquiring the disease.

The DOH has long been advocating for abstinence, faithfulness and condom use to fight the spread of HIV in the country.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, however, is against the DOH advocacy on condom use. –Delon Porcalla, Mayen Jaymalin, (The Philippine Star)