Department of Health (DOH) reported that cases of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) have reached an alarming rate of 1,399 for the past 38 years in Eastern Visayas.
Out of the 1,399 recorded cases from 1984 to May 2022, 736 were reported in the province of Leyte, 212 in Samar, 148 in Northern Samar, 129 in Southern Leyte, 107 in Eastern Samar and 67 in Biliran.
In addition, 92 patients have died according to DOH- Eastern Visayas information officer Jelyn Lopez- Malibago, with Leyte province again recording the highest number of 40 casualties recorded, 15 in Northern Samar, 11 in Southern Leyte, 10 from Samar and Eastern Samar, and six in Biliran.
As of the latest reports, the majority or 92.28 percent of the infected are male while only 7.72 percent are female and about 56.64 percent of the infected are between ages 25-34.
Taking immediate actions
Being the province with the second highest number of cases, Northern Samar is stepping up its drive against HIV/AIDS.
Northern Samar provincial information officer John Allen Berbon said the local government had already mapped out strategies to strengthen its programs.
“We have a two-way approach- prevention and treatment. The province will scale up the availability and access to testing and treatment services from rural health units up to the provincial hospital,” says Berbon.
In addition, he said all services will be available to patients for free and the testing will prioritize vulnerable populations, pregnant women and teens.
Sex education is still taboo
Despite the existing cases, it is a public knowledge that many people in the province still considers sex education a taboo which goes against the “conservative” norm.
With the officials seeing the necessity, it is about time to educate the public, specifically teens, on the importance of safe and healthy sexual and reproductive health.
“We are providing sex education appropriate for age in schools and empower parents to engage their children in healthy conversations regarding sexual and reproductive health. We will also create a stigma- free, inclusive and non-discriminatory environment at work, in schools, health facilities, establishments, communities and many more, Berbon added.
The province will also create a municipal HIV/AIDS council to support the activities, promote the rights of the infected and provide services in all private and public institutions.
Information drives will be conducted and will tackle misconception and disseminate correct information on HIV/AIDS.
Contrary to the popular mindset that awareness is similar to promoting sexual permissiveness, particularly to teens, the government’s steps to educate the people is for them to know of safe options in cases where one engages in sex.
“Its time na para maging open kita hini na conversations kay in my own experience, ignorance can lead to a lot of complications. Diri ibig sabihin na promote kami, it amon la maging aware it mga tawo. Baman kun pro- abstinence hira good for them but don’t prevent others from learning a safe option or what to avoid kun active hira. Let us stop discriminating labi na ha mga babayi,” a former HIV/AIDS patient and now advocate stated.