THE Philippine National AIDS Council and its partners have launched a campaign to stop the spread of the dreaded disease following reports that one Filipino is infected with HIV every five hours, or five new cases per day.
The AMTP-V, also known as the 2011-2016 Philippine Strategic Plan against HIV – human immunodeficiency virus – and AIDS, or the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, calls for improvements in existing treatment, care and support packages in terms of coverage for the most at risk populations.
The latest blueprint also seeks to further enhance policies for scaling up implementation, and the effective management and coordination of HIV programs at all levels.
Other features of the AMTP-V are the recommended interventions and comprehensive packages for MARPS which include Men Having Sex with Men, Transgender, Persons in Prostitutions and Persons who Inject Drugs.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona noted that the country’s threat of an HIV AIDS epidemic is now more evident than ever.
He also said that those infected are young and in their most productive years —at between 20 and 34 years old.
“Through the years, we have seen the impact of the virus in our socio-developmental growth. As stakeholders, we are challenged more than ever to scale-up and improve our response in a more assertive manner for us to increase the coverage of reach of our intervention, programs and services,” Ona said.
He said the 5th AMTP will concentrate on males engaging in unprotected sex with males and injecting drug users.
Dr. Eric Tayag, National Epidemiology Center director, described the local HIV and AIDS epidemic as fast and furious.
He said that five years ago, the country counted 210 new cases per year, which was not even one case every day.
“But this year, country has 1,500 cases which is about five cases everyday. Before the President ends his term, we’ll have 9,800 new cases and the total number of persons living with HIV could reach 46,000. This is not a simple number,” Tayag explained. –Macon Ramos-Araneta, Manila Standard Today
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