Davao City’s Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) has reported a total of 26 full-blown HIV-AIDS cases in the city from January to June, 2017. Based on the center’s record, 191 of the new cases are asymptomatic, or those with HIV virus but have not yet shown symptoms. The new recorded cases brought to 1,850 asymptomatic and 230 HIV/AIDS fully-developed cases from 1984 to the present.
The RHWC has blamed “risky sex behaviors” to be behind the admittedly high statistics for the first six months of the year.
“An ounce of prevention remains the best defense against HIV-AIDs,” said Patrick Albit, program officer of the RHWC.
Albit said that cases are higher among males because of their riskier sexual behavior than females.
In the Davao region, the age group with the biggest proportion of cases was noted among those aged 25 to 34 with 135 new cases. Next is the 15-24 age group with 103 cases, 35-49 with 38, and 50 older with 2 cases.
Data showed there were 401 cases last year, with 345 were asymptomatic while 56 were AIDS. Still, cases among males were higher with 381 compared to 20 among females.
Based on the HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP), four percent of the cases were reported from January to June 2017 in Region XI (247 were asymptomatic and 32 were AIDS). Total of 279 cases by both males and females.
The increase could be attributed to several factors. People who engage in risky sexual behavior, or those who have multiple sex partners, to have themselves tested because HIV develops into AIDS in 5 to 10 years.
Everyone is encouraged to access free services on HIV-AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) offered by the government, because right to health is a basic universal right of all children and people. We offer free STI, HIV and AIDS services including counseling, testing and treatment,” according to the heath official.
The RHWC holds clinic-based consultations. In a month, hundreds of patients visit the clinic to have themselves tested for HIV-AIDS, although there are patients who are afraid to come out for fear of stigma, if not self-perceived discrimination.
One serious implication of the rising cases of this deadly health malady is that the remedies tried so far are not so effective. Government and the private sector must look for more aggressive ways to arrest the spread of the disease. Unless this is done, we can expect the cases to continue to rise.
