TO KEEP the human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/Aids) cases in the country from hitting 30,650 by yearend, the focus of education and intervention must shift from commercial sex workers (CSWs) to males who have sex with males (MSMs).
A representative of the Department of Health (DOH) underscored this message during the 13th Philippine National Convention on Aids of the Aids Society of the Philippines, reported The Philippine Star last Oct. 27.
When the first HIV case in the country was documented in 1984, the HIV threat was described as “hidden and growing,” recalled Noel Palaypayon, deputy unit manager and supervising health program officer at the DOH’s National HIV/Aids/STI Surveillance and Strategic Information Unit.
From “low and slow” growth, the spread of HIV in the country is now “fast and furious,” said Palaypayon. HIV cases showed a “steep rise” in 2006. Sixteen new HIV Aids cases are recorded daily. Twenty-six percent of the 20,000 new cases diagnosed from 1984 to 2014 are aged 15-24 years, reported The Philippine Star.
Jump in cases
The DOH’s Philippine HIV and Aids Registry records the “fast and furious” spread. In 2000, only one HIV case was recorded every three days. In 2007, there was one new case every day. This became two cases per day in 2009.
In 2012, there were nine new cases monitored daily. In 2013, the cases became 14; then 16 in 2014.
The trend of increasing cases of HIV is found in only nine countries. Aside from the Philippines, a steep rise of HIV/ Aids cases is also observed in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Kygryzstan, Georgia, Moldova, and Guinea-Bissau.
In 126 countries, HIV declined by more than 25 percent from 2001 to 2011.
Reaching MSMs
Arresting HIV/ Aids means reaching out to MSMs. DOH monitoring indicated that MSMs have taken over CSWs as the leading sources for spreading HIV/ Aids.
Since 2008, MSM transmission replaced heterosexual transmission. From 2011 to 2013, there was a 60-percent increase in MSM transmission.
The “fast and furious” spread of HIV is also boosted by the “low use” of condoms, which results in a “high infection rate” among MSMs.
The DOH message is to stop high-risk behavior, such as the non-use of condoms during anal sex. There has been an increase of condom use from 34.1 percent in 2011 to 36.8 percent in 2013. However, this is still far from the 80-percent condom use targeted by the DOH.
Self-knowledge
Stakeholders must step up education among MSMs and CSWs, as well as other vulnerable sectors like overseas Filipino workers and the sexually active youths, to correct ignorance, another behavior that puts people at risk of HIV/ Aids.
The Philippine Star report also revealed the DOH finding that “very few” MSMs are aware of their risk to HIV/Aids.
About 85 percent said they have yet to undergo HIV testing. Fifty-nine percent of the MSMs did not know where to get the tests.
Ninety-one percent were not aware of anti-retroviral (ARV) treatments, which slow the progression of HIV to Aids. The DOH official said that if more people knew that ARV is given for free at some hubs in the country, more might submit to HIV testing.
Aside from highlighting the vulnerability of MSMs, the latest DOH monitoring reflects what may be the riskiest behavior: discrimination. The double bias against HIV/Aids and MSMs explains the shame, fear, denial, guilt, blame and other consequences that prevent individuals from seeking voluntary HIV testing and ARV treatments.
Reducing the vulnerability of MSMs and other at-risk groups begins, as many advocates urge, with the correction of gender imbalances and individual empowerment.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on November 03, 2014.
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