Male-on-male sex ranks as highest way to spread AIDS

By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG,
Correspondent

MALE on male sex has the highest probability of transmission of the acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) but this should not be misconstrued to mean homosexuals are the only transmitters of the disease, the City Health Office and the Department of Health said.

In a press conference recently, Dr. Joey Retuya of the CHO said the discrimination and the stigma attached to gays on the rising transmission of AIDS in the region must stop.

“Dili man pasabot nga ang hinungdan sa AIDS kay ng ingon tag male having sex with male (MSM) mga bayot na ni sila,” said Retuya adding that people who engage ïn male on male sex could be male sex workers, thus not necessarily homosexuals.

AIDS can be acquired from unprotected sex, blood transfusion  and injectables. According to the records of DOH, male on male sex has the highest probability of transmission.

“Mostly males are reported with new HIV infection,“ said Ian Jose Banaag, a nurse assigned to Infections Diseases Cluster of DOH.

DOH data shows that from 1991—when AIDS was first detected here in the country—up to this year,  males account for 80% of recorded AIDS carriers.

“Sa pagkakaron menus kaayo ang mga babae. Though naa gihapon pero gamay nalang,” Retuya said.

Retuya also said they have been distributing condoms and lubricants to sexually active persons as part of the health department’s AIDS awareness campaign.

Here in northern Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro has the highest number of AIDS cases with 123 cases since 2014 until September 2015. It is followed by neighboring Iligan City with 19 cases, and Valencia with 15 cases.

Misamis Oriental  also tops with the most number of cases that reached some 140 cases just this year among Bukidnon, Lanao , Camiguin and Misamis Occidental.

However, Retuya explained that the fact that this city and the province have the highest number of AIDS cases does not necessarily “risky” because “naa may mga dili taga dinhi ana nga dinhi lang nagpa test kay walay nakaila sa ila, ang uban pud nga taga dinhi, sa  laing lugar magpa test.”

To date, Philippines is ranked third in the world that has the highest number of AIDS cases—with Bangladesh and Indonesia ranked as first and second, respectively. As of June this year, there have been some 1, 309 deaths on AIDS recorded.