Gov’t to spend P1B to combat HIV in 2016—Recto

Senator Ralph Recto. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The government will spend about P1 billion to fight the growing cases of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in the country, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said on Saturday.

Citing a briefer on next year’s public health spending, Recto said the pegged P1.08 billion budget for combating HIV/AIDS in 2016, almost doubled from the allocated amount this year, will be used to fund the treatment and testing of 35,000 confirmed and suspected cases of the disease.

Recto said it was “the price the Philippines has to pay for reportedly having one of the fast-growing HIV epidemics in the world.”

“I have been told that this budget might not be enough, if taken against the growing patient base,” Recto further said in a statement. “[This] budgetary item may have to be increased because other diseases like dengue are also included in the fund to combat infectious diseases.”

The senator said that half of the budget or about P500 million will be used to buy antiretroviral drugs, while the remaining fund will be allotted to test kits and reagents (P250 million), surveillance (P50 million), and local prevention programs (P200 million).

Recto added that the increased budget will be used to expand the number of Filipinos currently enrolled and accessing medication in 22 treatment centers, which was estimated at 10,628.

“The increase in funding for 2016 will cover new entrants to the program and fund more testing,” he said. “I think the Department of Health thrust its awareness campaign on younger demographic. Those infected are getting younger. The current median age of HIV-infected Filipinos is 27.”

Recto said the National Capital Region will receive the bulk of the budget as it accounts for 44 percent of cases (11,648) recorded from 1984 up to the present.

READ: 772 cases of HIV/AIDS recorded in June, the highest ever in one month—DOH

Recto raised alarm over the reportedly increasing cases of HIV/AIDS in the Philippines despite a trend of global decline. A record-high 772 new cases were tallied last June, bringing the total of recorded cases in the national HIV registry to 26,456 since it was made in 1984.

“Many health experts who have appeared before congressional hearings are one in saying that this could just be the tip of the iceberg… June figures show that there are 22 per day now, four times the daily reported cases five years ago,” Recto said.

“Recent HIV scorecard says that we won’t be able to meet the HIV/AIDS target in the 2015 Millenium Development Goal of halting its spread and reversing it,” the senator added. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RAM

RELATED STORIES

DOH backs bill allowing minor to get HIV, AIDS test without parental consent

WHO cites needs for HIV screening