Mindanaotoday.com | DOH-10 focused on youth during World AIDS Day\
By: Jasper Marie Rucat
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Health Center for Health Development Northern Mindanao (DOH CHDNM) focused its education campaign on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) especially for the youth, as HIV cases continue to increase, particularly among the young population, those 15 to 24 years old.
According to validated data, there were 430 newly diagnosed HIV cases in Region 10 alone from January to September 2022.Overall, since the first case, about 2,561 HIV cases in Region 10 have been confirmed. In terms of trend, HIV cases have been increasing overtime.
In 2012, average in the Philippines was nine cases per day; in 2017, it was 30 cases per day; in 2021, it was 34 cases per day, and now, in 2022, it is 42 newly diagnosed cases per day.
Dr. Wellaflor Brito, head of Infectious Cluster Diseases at DOH-10, said during the KonsulTayo episode and media and health forum, “We have to go younger and younger in terms of prevention, advocacy, and education because we want to get them nga wala pa sila na expose or as much as possible dili pa sila infected.”
In celebration of World AIDS Day, the DOH has collaborated and partnered with various organizations and colleges and universities, including Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) leaders and chairmen in Cagayan de Oro City in the region, to raise awareness and even conduct training for healthcare workers.
Brito said they include in their campaign and even train those who are part of the key population, vulnerable groups, and MSMs (men having sex with men) to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.
“We want to promote that there is treatment of HIV, although it cannot be cured. But there is treatment. And people living with HIV can actually live a normal life just like the rest of us,” she said.
According to Brito, when a person living with HIV (PLHIV) gets treatment, and religiously takes their medications, there will come a time that they become virally suppressed, meaning the virus will be at a very low level in the blood and is no longer detectable in a diagnostic test, and they can no longer infect their sexual partner.
Meanwhile, discrimination against PLHIV still exists, according to Raffy Ardemil, a PLHIV and case manager for Region 10 and Cagayan de Oro. Many are still hiding their status because they are afraid of rejection or criticism, he said.
“Mao gyud na akong goal, naningkamot ko nga makahuman og pag-eskwela, recent lang 2020, I graduated BS secondary education. Bisan PLHIV ko, pwede pako mag-eskwela. Pwede pa ko makatabang sa society. And pwede pa pud ko mahimong teacher kai HIV is not a hindrance and not a death sentence for those PLHIV,” said Ardemil.
(That is my goal, I did my best to study, and recently, in 2020, I graduated with a BS in secondary education. Even though I have PLHIV, I am able to attend school. I can still contribute to society. And I can be a teacher because HIV is not a hindrance and not a death sentence for those PLHIV)
“One of the reasons why I disclose myself to the public it’s because ma-aware sila sa amo nga part, og once ma-discriminate mi, sakit. Some of our clients, PLHIV nga until now nagatago lang gihapon sailang closet, it’s because dili sila gusto ma-discriminate. Dili sila gusto nga i-reject sila within their family, friends and society,” said Artemil.
(One of the reasons why I disclosed myself to the public was so that people would be aware that, once we are discriminated against, we are hurt. Some of our clients, who are PLHIV, are still hiding in their closets because they don’t want to be discriminated against. They don’t want to be rejected by their own family, friends, and society)
Every December 1, the world commemorates and observes World AIDS Day, which has been observed for 34 years. (JMOR | PIA-10)
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