Massive HIV-AIDS Info Drive Yields High Number of Screened Persons

The provincial health office’s aggressive campaign in the past couple of years on the deadly virus that weakens the immune system in man resulted in a rapid rise of individuals voluntarily submitting themselves for screening.

Last year, the HIV-AIDS campaign that was waged in schools and parishes all over the province encouraged 56 people for a check-up, more than double the 26 screened in 2016, and eight times more than the number 7 in 2015.

Although showing widespread awareness for those with questionable lifestyles, the trend was alarming, said Eunice Aida Batalon, provincial HIV-AIDS coordinator.

Out of the 56 screened in 2017 “the youngest was 12 years old, the oldest 72 years old, and two are females,” Batalon said in an interview at the Salvacion Oppus Yniguez Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH) at barangay Dongon, this city, January 10.

Samples of the blood taken were forwarded for confirmatory testing at San Lazaro hospital in Manila and the results were tellingly shocking: 4 out of 7 screened in 2015 were confirmed positive; 4 out of 26 in 2016 positive; and 7 out of 56 in 2017 were positive as well.

Those who had contacted AIDS in 2015 and 2016 already passed away, while 1 out of 7 in 2017 had expired, Batalon told PIA, although other sources said that 3 died in 2017.

Invoking confidentiality, Batalon would not state the whereabouts of those screened and those who perished, adding that not all were from the province alone as there were also those coming from the nearby towns of Leyte province.

While most of those afflicted cited poverty as reason for the infection, some well-off individuals also got infected, by way of men having sex with men, Batalon said.

This year the continuing advocacy will focus on Parent-Teachers Community Associations (PTCAs), as parents and the family have vital roles to play to prevent the further spread of HIV-AIDS, Batalon declared. (ajc/mmp/PIA8-Southern Leyte)