PALO, Leyte — The Department of Health (DOH) has expressed alarm over rising cases of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Eastern Visayas over the past two years.
DOH assistant regional director Paula Paz Sydiongco said at least 20 people died due to the infection from January 2017 to February 2018 alone.
“From 1989 to January 2018, there were a total of 581 cases diagnosed with 42 deaths recorded. The youngest case is 18 and the oldest is 73. About 93 percent of the newly-diagnosed cases were males,” Sydiongco told Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday.
Of the 581 cases, 221 were diagnosed from January 2017 to February 2018, representing 38 percent of the total, the DOH official said.
The increasing number of newly-diagnosed victims of this infection is triggered massive information drive and establishment of testing and treatment centers in areas outside Tacloban City.
Based on the new cases documented in January to February this year, the region records an average of one case every day, said DOH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit head Roderick Boyd Cerro.
“The number of diagnosed people has been doubled every year since 2010. We expect that by the end of 2018, we will have about 400 cases. Last year, we had 181 new cases,” Cerro said.
DOH noted several cases in Tacloban City, Palo in Leyte, Ormoc City, Baybay City, Catbalogan City, and Calbayog City.
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. If untreated, a person’s immune system will eventually be completely destroyed, according to Avert, an organization based in the United Kingdom.
AIDS, on the other hand, refers to a set of symptoms and illnesses that occur at the very final stage of HIV infection.
The DOH targets that by 2022, some 90 percent of all persons with HIV would be aware of their health status and would be taking medications.
Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS is one of the targets under Goal 3 of the 17 goals of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals adopted by world leaders in September 2015. (PNA)
