DOH to intensify information campaign on AIDS

MANILA, Philippines – With the soaring cases of HIV/AIDS in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) will aggressively promote programs that will raise awareness about the deadly disease which infects one Filipino every one hour and 15 minutes.

Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin said “stigma and discrimination” are still hindering programs on HIV/AIDS, so there is a need to enhance people’s knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDS to curb the growing epidemic.

She cautioned that stigma and discrimination could drive HIV-infected people to rebel and deliberately spread the virus.

“I would opt that we still increase awareness and do away with stigma and discrimination because if they are eliminated, infected people would come forward to get treatment,” Garin explained.

If people with HIV are treated with respect and understanding, they could help curb the disease and could avoid actions that would spread the virus like unprotected sex.

Ferchito Avelino, director of the Philippine National AIDS Council, added that if having HIV would not be stigmatized, high-risk people would be encouraged to undergo drug testing. But now, myths and misconceptions are still hampering HIV campaigns.

“At present, many people still think that you can get HIV from kissing and mosquito bites and this is not helping the program. People must know how they can get HIV so that they will know what to do to avoid the infection,” he said.

Avelino warned that the country’s HIV epidemic is now crossing from high-risk population to the general population because of “female freelance sex workers.”

Three decades ago, the leading contributors to HIV were the commercial sex workers but this was somehow managed through various programs like requiring sex workers to undergo regular health examination for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

In 2007, the DOH observed a rising trend among males who have sex with males and injecting drug users.

But last year, a noticeable increase in cases was observed among the street-based or freelance sex workers who do not comply with the required health screening. –Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)