TUCP: Gov’t should provide HIV-positive OFWs with free treatment

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Saturday said 379 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) — 334 males and 45 females — tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) between January and July 2014.

In a statement released to reporters on Saturday, TUCP president and former Senator Ernesto Herrera said the number increased by 23 percent or 70 cases compared to the 309 OFWs infected over the same period in 2013.

Meanwhile, he noted that 378 of the infected OFWs acquired the infection through sexual transmission, includding 152 cases via male-to-male sexual contact.

“There was one case wherein the OFW was an intravenous drug user, and was infected by a tainted needle,” he added.

“The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. should see to it that every OFW found HIV positive is able to avail of cost-free Anti-Retroviral Therapy in accredited treatment hubs,” Herrera said.

He also urged the President Benigno Aquino III to certify the proposed new AIDS Prevention and Control Law, or Senate Bill 186 of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

“The bill seeks to improve the living conditions of HIV-positive people through greater access to treatment, care and support,” he said. “It also sets tougher penalties for entities and individuals who discriminate against HIV-positive people as well as those who violate their rights to confidentiality.”

Exceeding the 3K mark

Meanwhile, Herrera said about 3,017 OFWs with the median age of 34 tested positive for HIV.

He added that this is 15 percent of the 19,915 cases in the Philippine HIV and AIDS Registry — which began passive surveillance of the disease in 1984 — as of July 31, 2014.

About 81 percent of the number of HIV-infected OFWs or 2,456 cases are males, with 834 of them or 28 percent were infected due to male-to-male sexual contact.

“HIV is being spread primarily through sexual contact, predominantly male-to-male sex, and secondarily via needle sharing among injecting drug users or the transfusion of contaminated blood,” the TUCP said, quoting the Philippine National AIDS Council.

Earlier in May, the TUCP predicted the number of OFWs infected with HIV may top the 3,000-mark this year due to the government’s “inadequate” information drive.

Herrera then particularly zeroed in on the Department of Labor and Employment, (DOLE), which he said was not doing enough preventive education campaigns regarding the dreaded HIV.

“It would seem that the DOLE has been inadequate when it comes to raising awareness of HIV, both among outbound and returning OFWs,” said Herrera in May. — Amanda Fernandez/JDS, GMA News