South Cotabato to Host 1st National HIV/AIDS Summit

General Santos City (PNA) — The provincial government of South Cotabato has stepped up its preparations for the hosting of the 1st National HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Summit that is slated in November in Koronadal City.

John Codilla, HIV/AIDS focal person of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), said Wednesday they are currently finalizing the arrangements for the event, which is expected to gather around 1,000 local and national government leaders, advocates, medical experts, health workers and other concerned stakeholders.

He said the gathering, which is being organized by the Department of Health in Region 12, will be held on November 28-29 at the South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center.

“This is an opportune time to get commitments from policy makers, people living with HIV and other stakeholders for the development of strategies that will further advance the collective efforts against the spread of the disease,” he said.

Codilla said the event will be highlighted by presentations on various researches and studies regarding the treatment and prevention of HIV.

He said a group of medical experts based in Manila will specifically introduce fresh strategies on HIV prevention and the handling of new cases.

Organizers are planning to invite top HIV/AIDS advocates, including celebrity Vice Ganda, to grace the summit, he said.

“The summit will also focus on the promotion of advocacy leadership and the mainstreaming of mechanisms and initiatives in support of the national HIV/AIDS strategy and the action plan for prevention, care and treatment,” Codilla said.

The provincial government agreed to host the national summit to help create more awareness regarding the deadly disease among local residents.

The province has one of the case highest detection rates for HIV/AIDS in the last two years based on the DOH’s records.

From January to Augus this year, the IPHO already recorded 98 new HIV/AIDS cases, most of which were detected during series of testing activities that it conducted.

The new cases have so far brought the total cumulative incidence in the province to 317.

As of the end of 2014, the IPHO and the DOH central office listed the disease incidence in the province at a total of 219.

During the first quarter of the year, Codilla said they detected and confirmed at least 35 new HIV cases.

He said 15 more were added to the list as a result of the conduct of the National HIV Testing Week in the province in the second week of May.

From June to the second week of August, he said they found an additional 48 new HIV/AIDS cases, 31 of which were recorded in June alone.(PNA) FPV/AVE/AC