DOH, Unicef pick 5 pilot areas for HIV-AIDS prevention program for youth

By: Philippines News Agency, June 22, 2016, http://interaksyon.com/article/129398/doh-unicef-pick-5-pilot-areas-for-hiv-aids-prevention-program-for-youth

ILOILO CITY — The Department of Health (DOH) and Unicef selected five highly urbanized cities in the country as pilot areas for HIV-AIDS program, especially for young people.

The cities Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Quezon, and Iloilo are to lead on increasing youth participation in adolescent and reproductive health programs.

The battle against the dreaded human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues with this joint undertaking of the DOH, Unicef, Population Commission (PopCom), local government units (LGUs), and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) aimed to stem the tide of HIV-AIDS spread in these highly urbanized cities.

Iloilo NGO partner Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) reported the virus upsurge among young male people aged 17-33 years old.

A total of 16 positives out of 124 walk-in clients have sought voluntary HIV testing at the FPOP clinic based in Iloilo City since February to June this year.

The HIV positive results were submitted to DOH central office for further validation; it will take about a month before the final result be known, according to Robert Figuracion of FPOP.

These male clients and positives, who include five students (including two 17-year-olds), two overseas Filipino workers, one commercial sex worker, and eight working adults.

Earlier, DOH reported that HIV infects Filipinos every 19 hours and the program is aimed to stop its spread to infect other people.