DOH-Eastern Visayas urges pregnant women to get HIV-AIDS test

TACLOBAN CITY –– The Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas has encouraged pregnant mothers to have themselves tested for HIV-AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus-acquired deficiency syndrome).

“This way, any possible transmission of the virus to their babies could be avoided,” said Roderick Boyd Cerro, regional surveillance nurse.

Cerro’s call came in the wake of five women who infected their babies with the deadly virus. One of them died and infected her three-year-old child.

“Children whose mothers were tested positive of the HIV-AIDS sadly will have to take the antiviral drugs for the rest of their lives,” said Cerro, who is also the regional program manager of HIV-AIDS.

“That is why we are encouraging mothers to take the HIV-AIDS test to avoid any transmission. We will never have these cases if the mothers had an early test,” he added.

Aside from having sex, the virus could be transmitted through pregnancy, breastfeeding, and sharing of illegal drug injections.

The Department of Health on Sunday observed the annual HIV-AIDS candlelight memorial to raise awareness about the disease.

Cerro said that based on their monitoring, Eastern Visayas has 1,213 cases of HIV-AIDS. At least 54 persons in the region had died due to HIV-AIDS.

LZB