More Males Get HIV

The Department of Health (DOH)-6 said that more males in Western Visayas are infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

Data from the DOH-6 Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit showed that in March 2017 alone, 58 reported cases of HIV are males out of 59 total cases in Region 6.

Of the 59 total reported cases of HIV, only one case is female.

DOH-6 also reported that the top mode of HIV transmission is ‘males having sex with males’. This mode of transmission includes bisexual sex and homosexual sex.

Data of cumulative cases reported from January 1986 to March 2017 showed that 571 cases were due to bisexual sex and 762 were transmitted through homosexual sex.

DOH-6 Regional STI Nurse Coordinator Christine Mosqueda said that in March 2017, a person is diagnosed with HIV every 13 hours.

She said the agency along with its partner stakeholders are strengthening its advocacy to combat HIV and AIDS through information and education campaigns and the establishment of service delivery networks (SDN) for persons living with HIV.

She added that there are three facilities in Iloilo City which offer free HIV antibody testing including the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC), Iloilo City Social Hygiene Clinic, and the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP). (LTP/PIA-Iloilo)