By Katrina Gracia Consebido
The Department of Health (DOH) tied up with the “Free to be U” campaign during the Festival of Luw in Quezon City in a bid to promote healthy behaviors and eliminate acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the country by 2030.
The Health department stressed the need for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) accessible and regular HIV preventive and treatment services.
To date, the Philippines still has one of the fastest rising numbers of HIV cases in the Asia Pacific region.
As of November 2022, epidemiology data shows that there is an average of 42 HIV cases per day in the country.
Empowering PLHIVs
“We are thankful to the DOH for showing their strong support for PLHIV by partnering with the ‘Free to be U’ campaign during this event,” Project Director of EpiC Philippines Teresita Marie Bagasao said.
“The inclusion of Free to Be U in DOH’s comprehensive health education campaign Healthy Pilipinas is a major milestone that brings the country closer to the global goal of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030,” Bagasao added.
The “Free to be U” campaign, which was launched by EpiC Philippines in 2022, seeks to empower PLHIV to break free from labels and be free to enjoy life and love by providing information about available HIV prevention and treatment services, building up safe spaces and communities, and working with organizations and advocates from the PLHIV community in order to reduce stigma and promote free HIV services.
EpiC Philippines, as part of a global project dedicated to achieving HIV epidemic control, is supported by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the United States Agency for International Development.
“With this campaign partnership we call #FreeToBeU para sa isang #HealthyPilipinas, we hope to reach more members of the PLHIV community and those who may need protection from contracting the virus, and provide them with the necessary education and resources to lead healthy and full lives,” Bagasao said.
“The DOH is an essential partner in our efforts to strengthen HIV service delivery in the country, which includes distributing the United States-donated HIV preventive [three] drugs [pre-exposure prophylaxis] and HIV viral load cartridges to the various government and community facilities throughout the country.” she added.
“Free to be U” is also part of the Healthy Pilipinas campaign which focuses on the seven priority areas of the Health Promotion Framework Strategy, including sexual and reproductive health.
“We must all work together not just to implement our strategies and interventions, but to ensure that our PLHIVs and other key populations–are able to access HIV services without difficulty or stigma,” DOH Officer-in-Charge Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire said.
“Beyond this, we must join our efforts to address the systemic and socioeconomic barriers that prevent our fellow Filipinos from leading healthy, productive lives free from the impacts of HIV — Only through collective action will we be able to end the HIV epidemic in the country,” Vergeire said. – gb
