Extremely Urgent

THERE is a global pandemic and no nation is safe. From 16 early in the year, 18 Filipinos now test positive for HIV every day. The Philippines is one of the only nine countries in the world where the rate of infection is more than 25 percent.

In observance of World AIDS Day, the National Youth Commission (NYC) with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) organized a town hall meeting on youth, health and rights last December 1, 2014. The urgency of the HIV/AIDS situation in the country was underscored by UNICEF country representative Lotta Sylwander. She said the Philippines most probably has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS infection the world.

The proverbial gold medal is again given to the Philippines. The country already holds the “gold medal in teen pregnancy” for having the highest rate of increase in the whole Southeast Asian region. Now the “gold medal in HIV/AIDS” rate of infection is again with the Philippines.

At first glance, the national HIV prevalence in the Philippines seems low at less than one percent of the population, but the increasing epidemiological trends are concerning. While HIV transmission is declining in most parts of the world, the Philippines remains one of only three countries exhibiting a ‘fast and furious’ epidemic increase.

A quick look in the statistics from 2008 and 2013 would reveal that there is a 532 percent increase in reported cases. This means that in a span of six years, HIV/AIDS incidence has increased fivefold. According to official estimates, there could be more Filipinos living with HIV than what is reported. The Department of Health approximates that only 20 percent among key populations know their HIV status. From January to October of this year, the country has recorded the highest incidence in history with 5,010 cases. This is the first time that the Philippines breached the 5,000-mark and the year is not even over.

According to the Philippine National Aids Council (PNAC), at least a third of those who test positive for HIV are young people. Of the 18 reported cases every day, at least six are from the youth sector. At the rate it is going, HIV/AIDS is fast becoming one of the major issues of this generation. Risky sexual behavior is driving the increase. The 2013 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS 4) disclosed that 76 percent of early sexual encounters among young people are not protected from sexually-transmitted infections (STI) and early pregnancy.

Even in this day and age of digital technology, young people still lack knowledge about HIV/AIDS. YAFS 4 revealed that awareness on HIV/AIDS among the youth have declined in the past decade. Awareness is so low today that 43 percent of young males and 37 percent of young females believe that there is a cure for AIDS. There is also that feeling of invincibility among the youth as 72 percent of males and 82 percent of females think they will not get HIV.

Reducing risky behavior will arrest this extremely urgent situation. This could only be achieved if young people are able to make responsible decisions. But how can they make responsible decisions and be more careful of their actions if they believe there is a cure for HIV/AIDS and that they will never get it. We owe this generation so much information about their sexual and reproductive health. It is only in entrusting to them information on how to protect themselves and believing in their evolving capacities can they be enabled to make responsible decisions.

We urgently need to give it to them. –Perci Cendaña, http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/opinion/2014/12/10/cendana-extremely-urgent-381257