MANILA, Philippines–The is encouraging more people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to enroll in and access the government’s antiretroviral (ARV) therapy in various treatment hubs across the country.
DOH spokesman Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy noted that the current figures of those seeking ARV therapy despite availability of the drugs remained unsatisfactory.
ARV treatment is a combination of medications given to HIV-positive patients to delay the progression of the infection and the onset of full-blown Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Based on the Philippine HIV/AIDS registry, there were 7,380 people with HIV—both adult and pediatric patients—currently accessing ARV drugs in the 19 treatment centers in the country as of August.
A total of 20,424 cases of HIV had been reported to the DOH since 1984, with 1,052 of these infections resulting in death.
“What we really want is for them to come out and coordinate with us on how they can avail of the ARV therapy. It will be best if all people with HIV will avail of the therapy,” said Lee Suy in an interview with reporters.
The official said there were still cases that went unreported because of the stigma associated with the disease.
“We are encouraging the public to get tested, and hopefully avail of our services if necessary… but again, whether or not to undergo ARV therapy is their choice to make, not ours,” said Lee Suy, adding that the DOH had enough treatment centers to accommodate people with HIV.
These treatment centers are found in the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Jose B. Lingad Medical Center, James Gordon Memorial Hospital, Makati Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital;
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, San Lazaro Hospital, Medical City, Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital, Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Western Visayas Medical Center, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital;
Zamboanga City Medical Center, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Northern Mindanao Medical Center and Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center.–Jocelyn R. Uy