Six of 10 HIV cases via sex among men, says expert

By URIEL C. QUILINGUING
Contributing Editor

INFECTION of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which may advance to full-blown acquired immune deficiency syndrome (Aids), is most common among men having sex with men and this accounts for 63 percent of the 1,111 newly-diagnosed HIV cases in July this year for the entire country.

This was one of the key messages which Dr. Ian Christian Gonzales, head of the Department of Health regional office 10’s infectious diseases cluster, shared with the more than 200 health advocates who joined Dec. 1 World Aids Day program at the Ayala Centrio mall, this city.

Gonzales, who was tasked to give a situationer, said HIV transmission is predominantly sexual (99 percent), but only 13 percent of the July 2019 cases were due to male-female sex since 23 percent of cases were those of males who had sexual relations with both males and females.

Sharing of infected needles and mother-to-child modes of transmission represent just over one percent, based on HIV/Aids and Art (Anti-Retroviral Treatment) Registry of the Philippines (Harp) of the DOH epidemiology bureau which was the DOH-10 representative’s source.

Although Gonzales did not disclose the number of PLHIV in the region, yet he did mention that Region 10 shares about three percent of the 69,512 which is a little over 2,000 and would rank between 7th to 10th among 17 regions in the country.

The DOH Harp July 2019 report also indicated the top five regions, namely: National Capital Region (26,832), Region 4A (10,431), Region 3 (6,543), Region 7 (6,153), and Region 11 (3,917).

It also showed there have been 69,512 HIV/Aids cases in the country from January 1984 when the first infection was reported and recorded, of which 3,514 had died. It also indicated that for this year, there have been 35 infections every day—from only a single case daily in 2008.

Earlier, Councilor Ma. Lourdes Gaane, who chairs the City Council’s health and sanitation committee and vice-chairperson of the Cagayan de Oro Aids Council (CAC), appealed to all those present to treat all persons living with HIV (PLHIV) with “respect and dignity” in her welcome message.

“When we reactivated the CAC three years ago, our goals are clearly defined,” said Gaane, enumerating these as no HIV infections for a lifetime, a community of PLHIV free of stigma, and ensure quality of life for all.

With the reactivation—the composition of the council—was a P2.5-million annual appropriation for the HIV/Aids programs, projects, and activities.

But the Aids council, she said, cannot by itself address the challenges of HIV/Aids and reduce its impacts, particularly on the most vulnerable sectors, of making sure every person of reproductive age is capable of making informed choices.

Chaired by Mayor Oscar Moreno, the CAC is composed of the city health officer, DOH regional director, chief of the JR Borja Memorial General Hospital, Commission on Higher Education regional director, city schools division superintendent, city director of the Department of Interior and Local Government, head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, Oro Youth Development Council chairperson, director of the Social Action Center of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, and the chairman of the HIV/Aids Counseling and Treatment Hub of Northern Mindanao Medical Center.

The HIV/Aids focal person of the city health office sits as secretariat head while three others represent civil society organizations (CSO) and the business sector in the CAC.

The CAC vice chairperson said PLHIV must be given opportunities—livelihood and training—so they could be productive and extend support to their respective families.

“Hopefully, there will be a vaccine and cure for this epidemic,” said Gaane who concluded by acknowledging the presence of various advocacy groups, particularly the association of HIV-positive persons.

Among those who attended Sunday’s gathering were members of the Northern Mindanao Aids Alliance (Normaa), an organization of HIV-positive persons, which is an affiliate member of the Misamis Oriental Cagayan de Oro AIDS Network (Mocan).

One Normaa member, a 33-year old gay, gave a testimony on the risky lifestyle he had, how he got the infection, and what he has been doing the past four years to be productive.

World Aids Day is one of two global Aids awareness campaigns, the other one being the International Aids Candlelight Memorial and Mobilization every second Saturday of May, which advocacy groups, including the local Aids councils, participate.