THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
A few days ago, Antipolo City hosted a relatively small gathering of highly-committed organizations helping people cope with the scourge of HIV/AIDS.
The event was called the QUILTS Awards 2023. QUILTS stands for “Quality Uptakes and Improvements in Lifesaving Treatment Services.” The awards recognized the people and organizations who have provided outstanding care and treatment to people living with what used to be the world’s most dreaded virus.
At the helm of the event was EPIC Philippines, the local arm of the international project called HIV Epidemic Control (EPIC). The project is a collaboration of three United States-based agencies: USAID, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and Family Health International (FHI) 360, a non-profit organization focused on family planning and reproductive health.
The event was in line with the global observation of the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial which took place last Sunday. The occasion was a reminder to us that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is still in our midst, that people are still getting infected by it, and that people are still dying from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
The reminder is crucial. Just like what is happening to our Covid-19 situation, we see the world sliding into a state of indifference and complacency regarding HIV/AIDS. As we have mentioned several times in past articles, complacency is a “health risk.” When we start to adopt the “I do not care anymore” mindset, we expose ourselves to danger, we let our guards down and we forget the established health protocols that helped us survive the peak of the pandemic.
Just like the Covid-19 virus, HIV is still here, stalking us and posing a serious danger to people’s lives. In the first three months of this year, the Department of Health logged a total of nearly 5,000 cases of HIV infection. During that period, more than 149 persons died of AIDS. That is more than the number of people who died from Covid-19 during the same period.
The situation in our country must be taken seriously. A recent article published by the Switzerland-based Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) and which was written by two Filipino researchers said that the Philippines has “gained notoriety as the country with the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the Western Pacific region.”
The article pointed out that, before 2010, the growth of the epidemic in the country was described as “low and slow.”
That is no longer true. According to the research of the authors Louiemar A. Gangcuangco and Patrick C. Eustaquio, there has been a 114 percent increase in the daily incidence of HIV infection from 2012 to 2023. More, while the global trend is downward, the trend in our country is upward.
The Department of Health (DOH) has sounded the alarm. According to the agency, the number of HIV/AIDS cases in the country could reach a total of 364,000 by the year 2030. What is even more worrisome is that the number in the Philippines “is not showing decline” despite the 30 percent average decrease worldwide. Based on the projection, nearly half of the 364,000 who could be infected could be young people, ages 15 to 24.
The good news is that community-based efforts to combat the disease and help the victims continue to flourish. Collaboration is stronger than ever among international and local agencies, non-governmental organizations like EPIC Philippines, and its partners.
Local governments are doing their part. Republic Act 8504 mandates them to take strong measures to curb the spread of the disease in their respective jurisdictions. They set aside budgets and implement programs to prevent which addresses some of the root causes of this scourge, like poverty, prostitution, ignorance, and drug abuse.
Also, part of the effort are corporations that set aside funds from their corporate social responsibility programs for public education and testing for HIV.
At the QUILTS Awards ceremony, we underscored that the battle against HIV/AIDS requires the involvement of the entire community. It requires the same from individuals. We can all help.
Here are some of the ways we can. The website HIV.gov offers some tips on what we can do when a friend confides to us that he or she is infected with the virus,
First, is to “acknowledge.” Thank them for trusting you with very private health information.
Then, “ask.” The first question is “What can I do to help you.” The Third is, “reassure.” Show them with actions and words that the HIV status does not change anything in your friendship.
Lastly, “learn.” We must all continue to educate ourselves about HIV/AIDS. The article points out that today, people with HIV who take HIV medicine as prescribed can get and keep an undetectable viral load, stay healthy, and will not transmit HIV to their sexual partners. Don’t make assumptions and look to your friend for guidance.
HIV/AIDS epidemic and the more recent Covid-19 pandemic show that surviving in this world is something we cannot do alone. We are part of the human race which constantly faces risks.
We have to do our share to help this race survive and save itself from extinction.
(For feedback, please email it to antipolocitygov@gmail.com or send it to Block 6 Lot 10 Sta. Barbara 1 cor. Bradley St., Mission Hills Subd., Brgy. San Roque, Antipolo City, Rizal.)
