HIV cases on the rise in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 12, 2012) – The Human Development Empowerment Services (HDES) In Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines has recorded 47 cases of the dreaded human immunodeficiency virus-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV-AIDS) since early this year.

Jeffrey Somera, a Community Health Outreach Worker, said of the 47 cases, 39 were male, mostly from Zamboanga City. He said the number of those affected continues to rise.

“Our target client are male having sex with male which get the highest number of HIV positive, and freelance sex worker, registered sex worker and street kids,” Somera told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

The Department of Health said from 1984 to June 2012, it has registered a total of 9,964 HIV cases including 1,061 AIDS and 353 deaths.

The HDES, with the help of the City Health Office, provide free medicines and counselling to those with HIV-AIDS.

According to emedicinehealth.com, HIV is one of a group of viruses known as retroviruses and after getting into the body, the virus kills or damages cells of the body’s immune system.

The body tries to keep up by making new cells or trying to contain the virus, but eventually the HIV wins out and progressively destroys the body’s ability to fight infections and certain cancers.

HIV transmission is through heterosexual intercourse and intravenous drug use. It causes AIDS and occurs when the virus has destroyed so much of the body’s defences that immune-cell counts fall to critical levels or certain life-threatening infections or cancers develop.

Somera said in order to spread awareness to the public; the HDES regularly conduct seminars and training to the different villages and schools in Zamboanga City. (Marvin Saradat)