Number of HIV Positive People Keeps Growing In Philippines

The Lancet reported about over 10 000 of cases with HIV transmission in the last year and the virus spread keeps growing because of few medical facilities to provide the population with testing and treatment for the virus if needed. According to the data of editorial, more than 80 % of new patients with HIV were registered among men who have sex with man (MSM) and transgender women, having sex with men with the average age of 20 years.

“Early testing, access to reproductive health, sex education and anti-retroviral treatment should be facilitated. The Philippines must act today, or risk losing the fight against HIV,” - stated the authors of the editorial.

Another problem is stigma and discrimination. People with HIV positive status, who had just discovered their status should face discrimination on work, in their families, the factors like these also aggravate the situation and make prevention care and treatment even harder. the patients deny their new status and ignore the needed treatment and therapy.

“They are in denial stage wherein the PLHIV (people living with HIV) are afraid to seek treatment because they still could not accept that they are infected,” said Owie Franco, president of Pinoy Plus, the group of HIV-positive peer counsellors.