Hundreds of participants from different government agencies and advocacy groups participated in the first Metro Manila AIDS Walk on December 2, 2023 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Benjul Abalos has tasked local chief executives to organize their own AIDS committees and coordination bodies to spearhead grassroots interventions against the life-threatening disease.
I note that local AIDS councils/local AIDS coordinating bodies can provide interventions to achieve community-led sustainable HIV responses.
He also called on other departments to provide support to create a more sensitive environment to the needs of vulnerable groups.
Data from the Department of Health (DOH) shows that there are 50 new HIV infections every day in the country this year.
That’s more than double the 22 daily cases recorded in 2022, a number Abalos said was alarming.
“As the nation marks World AIDS Day, I join all people living with HIV/AIDS around the world in continuing our efforts to finally end and defeat this life-threatening disease,” he said in a statement on Friday.
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Meanwhile, in an effort to raise awareness on the HIV/AIDS issue, the Department of Health held the first-ever Metro Manila AIDS Walk yesterday at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park.
The campaign aims to break the stigma of HIV/AIDS testing, the ministry said in a statement.
“HIV prevention methods, testing and treatment are available free of charge,” the ministry said, adding that “consultation with primary care providers is important.”
The goal of the AIDS Walk is to eliminate AIDS by 2030.
World AIDS Day, commemorated yesterday, is a global initiative celebrated annually to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, honor the deceased and support people living with HIV.
Meanwhile, the Calabarzon Health Development Center of the Ministry of Health also launched the “Byaheng Kalusugan: World AIDS Day” campaign on Friday.
AIDS services such as HIV testing, syphilis screening, and hepatitis B screening are provided free of charge.
World AIDS Day celebrations were also held at Pérez Park in Lucena City.
“On this important occasion of World AIDS Day, the Department of Health is proud to commemorate the progress and continued efforts made in the fight against HIV. This annual commemoration is a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility to raise awareness and eliminate stigma,” said Ted Herr, Minister of Health Ted Herbosa said.
He added: “The department also provides various opportunities to improve HIV/AIDS health care service delivery through the ‘Eight-Point Action Agenda for Healthy Filipinos.’ These initiatives will further prevent new infections, enhance care, treatment and support, and mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS in the post-COVID-19 era.”
There are currently an estimated 164,400 people living with HIV in the country, with an estimated 24,400 new infections expected in 2023 alone, according to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
UNAIDS said it expected the country could prevent 162,000 new infections and more than 8,000 AIDS-related deaths if it strengthened interventions provided by community-led organizations. ——Rodina Villanueva