HIV/AIDS in the Philippines
According to Department of Health (DOH) National Epidemiology Center's HIV surveillance chief Genesis Samonte, they are recording one new case of HIV infection every four days, and is now rapidly rising in the Philippines, with one Filipino acquiring the infection every two to three hours. Yes, you read it right. HIV cases is increasing by the hour.
Although HIV prevalence remained low among general population, Samonte said that the country is experienceing a so-called "expanding epidemic" of HIV/AIDS among high risk-groups, such as men having sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users and those who have multiple sexual partners.
"A mojority or 90 percent of those infected with HIV were males. Metro Manila accounted for 60 percent of the confirmed HIV/AIDS cases."
While the HIV/AIDS trend worldwide is declining, Samonte added that there are seven countries, including the Philippines, where occurrence of the fatal infection has been steadily increasing.
"Since 1984 until March 2011, we have a total of 9,163 HIV/AIDS cases in the country, but this could be an underestimate because these cases were only people who volunteered to be tested for the disease," Samonte explained.
According to an article written by Mayen Jamaymalin, "the DOH estimated that there could be as many as 10,000 Filipinos nationwide who are not aware that there are infected with HIV and already spreading thsease to others."
It's time to blow the whistle.
We are called to make a bold move now! As bachelors, it is our calling to save the people we love and protect ourselves from this epidemic. It's time to sound an alarm, stronger and louder!
Today (May 28, 2012), The Red Whistle, a mainstream community response to HIV and AIDS founded by Niccolo Cosme, is also celebrating its 1st year of educating Filipinos regarding the invisible threat.
If you want to know more about the campaign, you may visit www.theredwhistle.org
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Source:
http://www.theredwhistle.org/learn/about-the-red-whistle/
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=63&articleId=810437
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