BACOOR CITY, Cavite – To avert the spread of human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in this city, the Department of Health (DOH) regional office and the Department of Education (DepEd)-Bacoor City Division held on Monday a “Peer Education Training” in several schools to raise awareness and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
DOH Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), the city Social Hygiene Clinic, and DepEd-Bacoor City Division held the seminar training in various public and private schools here, in a bid to create awareness on the HIV/AIDS situation in the province.
The event at the Bacoor Government Center was attended by 161 junior and senior high school students, teachers and guidance counselors from the 23 city schools.
Dr. Michael Angelo Marquez, City Health Office (CHO) Medical Officer III and Head of the Social Hygiene Clinic, disclosed to the Philippine News Agency that they are targeting students because HIV is mostly affecting young people, aged 12 to 24 years old.
“We need to empower our students and give them the proper and accurate information on the basics of HIV/AIDS for them to avoid acquiring the virus,” Marquez said.
He said Bacoor City has registered the highest number of cases of HIV/AIDS in the Calabarzon Region with 726; followed by Dasmariñas City with 686; and Imus City with 616 cases, recorded from 1984 to April 2019.
He also noted that all new confirmed cases in April this year are from the 15 to 24 age group.
“We need to train them, increase their knowledge and encourage behavior change for them to become an effective messenger among their peers to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in schools and the community,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mary Grace E. Javier, Medical Officer III of DepEd here, explained the peer education seminar-workshop is part of the “Oplan Kalusugan (OK) sa Department of Education” (OK sa DepED).
“The objective is to educate the youth and hear out their concerns on age-appropriate issues particularly adolescent reproductive health and also ensure wellness of DepEd personnel through the provision of basic medical care for better productivity,” she emphasized.
She added that the peer educator’s training activity also includes lectures on the National Drug Education Program.
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