Davao City, through the City Health Office, will hold the 34th AIDS Candle-Lighting Memorial in celebration of the World AIDS Day on May 19.
With a theme “Ending AIDS together 2017,” this annual event will serve as a mass campaign to prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).
“We know it’s far from ending because of the increasing number of cases and so we really have to involve everyone. Expand awareness through these activities, hopefully makahatag ug gamay nga dent towards informing other people about this sickness. This is not just an activity that we do to remember. This is still an awareness campaign to end HIV and AIDS,” said Dr. Jordana Ramiterre, Action Officer of the Davao City AIDS Council.
According to Dr. Ramiterre, this year, Davao Region ranked top five in the whole Philippines to have the most HIV/AIDS cases, with the National Capital Region ranking first. In January to February 2017, there have been 79 recorded cases of HIV/AIDS, 11 were confirmed positive with the virus and 68 were asymptomatic or producing no symptoms.
Aside from the upcoming candle-lighting activity, AIDS Council has been creating outlets in order to raise awareness regarding HIV/AIDS virus.
“Currently, we have a satellite treatment hub at the Southern Philippines Medical Center. Patients have been increasing. We also have ‘sundown’ clinics, a sort of experimental clinic supported by the Department of Health, meaning to say some people who cannot get tested during daytime may go to us every 3rd and 4th Friday of the month, open from 6:00 o’clock in the evening until 12:00 midnight,” Dr. Ramiterre said. Dr. Ramiterre expressed that if the patronage of the said clinics will increase, they might increase the number of days when the clinics will be open.
The activity will start with a mass at Ateneo de Davao University Chapel at 12:00 noon and later on, at 4:00 in the afternoon the formal program at the Rizal Park will follow. Expected participants of the said event are HIV/AIDS advocate groups from different parts of Mindanao.
