Press Release / 11 December 2009
Give your loved ones the best gift this holiday season: faithfulness and willpower to turn away from risky and harmful vices and behaviors.
The 2009 Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serological Surveillance (IHBSS) revealed today that the number of Filipinos afflicted with HIV/AIDS especially among high risk populations is steadily growing. Further, the Department of Health (DOH) said that the risk for HIV/AIDS will continue if advocacy efforts to avert the increase of this disease will not be intensified. Latest data said that most of the cases were due to unprotected sex and injecting drug use of persons who may have harmed others unknowingly.
“The threat is real. An individual is like a walking time bomb that may explode and spread the virus to others, cause deaths especially if he or she doesn’t know his or her HIV status while engaging in high risk behaviors.” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
The health chief said that although the number of new HIV infections has dropped by 17% globally since 2001, the number of new cases here in the country has increased by 334%.
The 2009 IHBSS report disclosed that the overall prevalence of cases in the most at risk populations (MARPs) is 530 per 100,000 population. It also revealed the following figures: men having sex with men – 1,050/100,000; freelance female sex workers – 540/100,000; registered female sex workers – 230/100,000; and injecting drug users – 210/100,000.
“These figures are far high compared to the numbers that the 2007 IHBSS has yielded,” Duque said.
The 2007 IHBSS reported the following figures: overall prevalence in MARPs– 99 per 100,000 population; men having sex with men – 280/100,000; freelance female sex workers – 44/100,000; registered female sex workers – 68/100,000; and injecting drug users – 130/100,000.
“The number of infected persons in the Philippines is growing and the infection is spreading fast in most-at-risk populations such as freelance female sex workers, men having sex with men, and injecting drug users, among others. We have to stop the spread and gain control of the situation,” Duque said.
“Although HIV and AIDS do not discriminate and anyone can get infected including unborn babies, we have groups that are more at risk than others because of behaviors that include unprotected vaginal and anal sex, multiple sex partners and re-use of needles and syringes while injecting drugs, to name some,” Duque said.
The Secretary said that to prevent the spread of the virus, the DOH is determined to boost its information drive and strengthen its prevention program and services against HIV/AIDS.
“But the efforts of DOH alone are not enough. The DOH will need the help of other sectors, other agencies of government, the LGUs, civic society and individuals and communities. All of us have a responsibility and role in stopping this disease,” Duque said.
The Philippine HIV/AIDS Registry reported that for October 2009, 80 new HIV cases have been confirmed by the STD/AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory. This was a 36% increase compared to the same period last year (59 in 2008). This brought the total of cases for 2009 to 626. Four (4) of these new cases were reported as AIDS. There was no death reported for the month of October.
The cumulative number of HIV cases from 1984 to October this year is 4,218, of which 828 have become AIDS. Of the 828 cases, 314 have already died. The most common mode of transmission was sexual contact (3,798 out of 4,218), while the least common was through mother-to-child transmission (49/4,218).
NOTE: For further inquiries on the 2009 IHBSS data, please call Dr. Eric Tayag at 09178554257; for prevention program and services, please call Dr. Gerard Belimac at 09159402115.
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