Western Visayas registers 49 persons living with HIV/AIDS
Around 49 Persons Living With HIV-AIDS (PLWHAs) have been recorded in Western Visayas, and of this figure 18 have already died.
This was disclosed by Ms. Charity Y. Perea, regional coordinator of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), Prevention and Control Program of the Department of Health in Region VI during the recent PIA-CATV program.
She said that the 49 PLWHAs recorded are those who have decided to come out and are now health services from the DOH and some non-government institutions here in Iloilo City.
"There could be more out there, but are still hesitant or afraid to surface because of the stigma," Ms. Perea said when asked of their estimates of the number of PLWHAs in Western Visayas.
Perea said that regarding modes of transmission, 98% were attributed to sexual transmission, 67% - heterosexual; 19% -homosexual; 14% -bisexual; and 2% through blood transmission.
"The 31 alive are living healthy normal lives. They have formed their organizations called "EMPOWERED" in Iloilo and CROSSBREEDS in Negros Occidental and are now project implementers rather than just beneficiaries," Perea said.
She said that some PLWHAs are now actively participating in the conduct of forum/advocacy campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS with their testimonies in several parts of the region.
The Regional STI Prevention and Control Program Coordinator emphasized that HIV/AIDS can be prevented and controlled through the following: a) abstain from sex; b) be mutually faithful to uninfected partner; c) careful sex; d) drug free; and e) education and early detection and treatment.
On December 1, the World AIDS Day will be observed, and the theme is "Stop AIDS: Take the Lead," Perea concluded. (PIA)