MERGED: HIV in the Philippines

[yacky2006]

HIV CASES RISING

74 cases for Cebu City in Jan., Feb.

Source: Cebu Daily News | Cebu's Only Independent Newspaper

He is only 15 years old. But this male high school student tested positive of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

He was one of 18 persons found positive of HIV in 2009 during a surveillance by the Cebu City Health Office.

The number went up to 74 for the months of January and February of 2010, a rise that has alarmed the Cebu City Council.

Of the number, 71 were reported by the outreach program of CDHO, two were reported by private laboratories and one from a hospital.

But Dr. Ilya Abellanosa Tac-an, Cebu City Health Office epidemiologist, said the rise in the number of cases could partly be explained by outreach efforts of her staff to look for cases in different barangays in Cebu City.

“Maong daghan this year kay, kami mismo gyud ni survey (That’s why the number increased this year because we ourselves conducted the survey). For the last years, cases were only reported by hospitals,” she told the council during its regular session yesterday.

Most of those found positive with HIV were injectable drug users, she said.

Although the preferred drug was still the injectable pain-killer Nubain, drug dependents had found a cheaper option – Nalbuphine.

“The injecting drug users have a wide network of HIV,” said Tac-an.

Among them was the 15-year-old boy.

She said the teenager was using the injectable painkiller and had casual *** with another male.

The report prodded Vice Mayor Michael Rama asked Councilor Jose Daluz III, council committee vice chairman on health; and Councilor Edgardo Labella, council committee chairman on laws, to look for ways to help the city health department in the campaign against HIV-AIDS.

Tac-an said they were coordinating with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and non-government organizations (NGOs).

Last year, the health department received 18 HIV cases based on surveillance of high risk groups: men having *** with men, registered *** workers, freelance *** workers and injectable drug users.

Of the number, 14 were female and freelance *** workers. Seventeen of those found positive of HIV were using injectable drugs.

This year, the health department decided to go to urban barangays to check the situation.

They went to barangays known to have injectable drug users because 96 percent of those who use injectable drugs practice unprotected ***.

The findings showed that 42 were found positive of HIV in January and 29 in February. Thirteen were found positive in March but the results have yet to be submitted to Manila for confirmation.

Most HIV patients were male between 15 and 30 years old.

The increasing infection was mostly due to injectable drug use. There was also low level of knowledge on HIV transmission especially among those who were being monitored.

There was also a high rate of risky behaviors - low condom use, the use of injectable drugs, and the sharing of needles and syringes.

Tac-an called for better HIV/AIDS services such as providing “prevention packages” that includes condom distribution and information materials especially for high risk groups.

She said the health department would also give out syringes especially to those found positive of HIV.

She stressed the need to remove the stigma and discrimination attached to the disease, and to set up counselling and testing centers.

Her suggestion to distribute condoms didn't sit well with City Councilor Arsenio Pacana, who is a Catholic lay minister.

“I'm worried for the unified plans of using condoms. As one close to the church, I think our number one problem in the country is not overpopulation but corruption,”he said.

Councilor Labella said there was a need to revisit Republic Act 8504, "An act promulgating policies and prescribing measures for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDs program, establishing comprehensive of lippines, instituting a nationwide HIV/AIDS program.”

Tac-an said they continued to coordinate with the barangay officials as well as the management of night establishments.

Tac-an said drug users got the AIDS virus after having *** with commercial *** workers.

“Unfortunately for the *** workers, after the second visit of the customer they are already considered as regular. They don't use condoms anymore,” she said.

Those who had *** with men and injectable drug users don’t use condoms also. Some 82 percent of them had been injected drugs started since 2008.

“The injecting drug users have a wide network of sexual as well drug users partners because the *** partners have money for *** partners,” she added.

Drugs users also shared syringes, another mode of transmitting the virus.

Tac-an said the health department gave counseling to free lance *** workers in two brangays as well as seminars and an education campaign at the Bagong Buhay Rehablitation Center (BBRC).

She noted that some injectable drug users, who were involved in risky sexual behaviors, were not motivated to change because of the effects of the drugs. She recommended that these drug users should be rehabilitated but they could not afford to do so. /Reporter Fe Marie DumaBoc

[unsay_ngalan_nimo]

ka scary ani oi...

[Genocide]

Bitaw scary muleng.

[rambutan]

nag ka bata man tawn ning biktima sa sakit.. paeta..

[junmar4]

nag ka bata man tawn ning biktima sa sakit.. paeta..

nagkabata man sad ang mga adik sa pilipinas.

[rr_sipat]

Grabeha sa, bataa man kaau ani! sayu kaau ni enter ug drugs!

[peewee_toot]

hala! dili na jd ta mka pataka og ehem ani dah. hahaiz...

[emow]

oh well... uwahi na ang pagmahay.

[peewee_toot]

^^mao jd. ang uban ky manakod nlng. mangamong...

[dollar_earner]

Wow... at a very young age nagka HIV na. I hope our government will do such drastic moves on this matter. So sad about the news.