GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Health personnel here will conduct free screening services on Wednesday, May 16, for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in line with the observance of the 35th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial.
Dr. Mely Lastimoso, coordinator of the City Health Office’s (CHO) Social Hygiene Clinic (SHC), said Tuesday the activity aims to highlight the continuing education and advocacy against the deadly disease.
Lastimoso said the mobile screening activity, which will be held at the Robinsons mall, mainly targets vulnerable residents who have not yet undergone HIV testing.
“We detected at least 10 new cases in each of our previous mobile screening activities,” she told PNA.
As of last week, Lastimoso said the city’s HIV/AIDS cases has reached close to 600, with new cases detected every week.
She said they already recorded two deaths since January due to complications caused by advanced stage of AIDS.
The two fatalities were already suffering from full-blown AIDS upon diagnosis and have not availed of antiretroviral or ARV drug treatment.
CHO provides ARV drug treatment for free, through the Department of Health-supported satellite treatment hub here.
ARV drug treatment mainly stops the multiplication of the infected person’s viral load and eventually prevents them from further spreading the disease.
In some countries, the use of antiretroviral drugs has helped effectively lower the incidence of HIV infection to about 1 percent and eventually stabilized the detected cases.
Lastimoso said it’s important for vulnerable residents to get tested early for HIV so they can avail of immediate treatment.
She cited those who were engaged in “risky sexual behavior” such as gays, bisexuals, men who have sex with men or MSMs, and others who engage in unprotected sex and with multiple partners.
The tests or screening are free of any charges and the results will be treated as confidential, she added. (PNA)
