LET’S WORK TOGETHER – DOH TO FAITH-BASED GROUPS

From: DOH WebPage

Let us stop the bickering. Let us work together because lives are at stake.

Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral recently asked clergies to refrain from ‘word war’ but instead focus in finding a solution acceptable to all in order to reduce the number of individuals infected with HIV/AIDS.
As the number of infected individuals increase from one infection every three days in 2000, to one per day in 2007, and two infections per day in 2009, the country cannot afford to lose a day in stopping the spread of infection. Presently, Global Fund pays for the cost of medicines of people living with HIV/AIDS and these medicines are free only until 2012.

In the beginning, HIV was reportedly brought by returning overseas workers. Today, figures indicate that the spread is also emphasized local transmission. And with the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS, experts agree that only one in four cases of HIV infection are reported.

“The government cannot do this task alone of reducing and preventing infections. I am glad that faith-based organizations now have opened their doors to this calling of caring and providing support to those infected and affected,” Cabral said.
At the First Catholic Forum on HIV/AIDS, Fr. Bob Vitillo of the Roman Catholic Church, said that it is the people themselves who will decide what they will do and not society nor the Church. He added that it will be based on their moral perspective and value system. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of government and the Church to re-enforce the value system.

In fact, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-NASSA is planning a follow up to the First Catholic Forum on HIV/AIDS in order to train its network members for pastoral counseling and a seminar for those working in hospitals.

Brother Donald Cancino of the Order of Saint Camilus revealed that one of the mandates of their organization is for every region to become involved in HIV ministry. Brother Cancino said that after joining training workshops, they were finally allowed to do bedside visitations with patients at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and San Lazaro Hospital.

Their group also began training their own men and theologians and opened training programs to the Daughters of Charity, Good Shepherd Sisters, and Sisters of the Holy Spirit.

Also, faith-based organizations and government institutions have conducted education programs to help people who are afraid of undergoing HIV testing. Faith-based organizations observed that the problem with some government agencies is that they only play with the numbers and do not go deeply enough into the situation of infected people.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development also conducted activities focused on policy development, capability building and education, and providing treatment, care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

On the other hand, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for the years 2005-2008 provided technical assistance in the formulation of the AIDS Medium Term Plan IV. The NEDA also prepared the National AIDS Spending Assessment for the years 2000-2004 and 2005-2007 to track down amount of resources spent for HIV/AIDS in aid of planning.

The family and society's development is influenced by their faith to a major extent. The upcoming 2010 HIV Summit is at Manila Diamond Hotel on April 12, 2010; will deal with the current concerns of these sectors in the country. Several faithbased groups will attend to this event tp share their commitment and response to this epidemic.