DOH seeking P600-M fund to fight HIV

The Department of Health (DOH) is seeking to double the budget allocation for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) control and prevention to P600 million next year after the Philippines breached the United Nations’ 5-percent threshold of incidence of the disease among high-risk groups.

At the HIV Partners’ Forum on Wednesday, the DOH sounded the alarm over the increasing number of HIV cases in the country, saying that if the government and stakeholders do not invest in preventing new HIV infections, figures will reach 133,000 by 2022.

Health officials attributed the steady rise of HIV cases despite increased surveillance and free access to screening to the lack of correct and comprehensive knowledge on HIV and dismal condom use among vulnerable populations, particularly males having sex with males.

P4-B outpatient cost

Health Secretary Janette Garin said HIV cases estimated at 133,000 six years from now, would cost the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. P4 billion a year for the outpatient HIV package alone and would continue to increase each year unless new infections will be curbed.

“We need to strengthen our partnership with other government agencies such as the Department of Education, as well as community-based organizations in order to reach the young key populations with correct information,” said Garin.

At a press conference, the DOH revealed findings of its study on the state of the HIV epidemic in the Philippines, showing that the Millennium Development Goal Indicator “correct and comprehensive knowledge on HIV prevention and transmission” remained low for all key populations.

UN threshold breached

It showed that the country failed to reach its target of 80 percent in comprehensive knowledge on the disease by high-risk groups. Only 40 percent of males and transgender who have sex with males, female sex workers and people who inject drugs have extensive knowledge of HIV.

The study also revealed that HIV cases among males and transgender who have intercourse with males have multiplied 10 times over the last five years, breaching the UN five-percent threshold in this group.

Five percent is the UN’s borderline to declare an area as having a concentrated epidemic, explained the DOH.

The prevalence of HIV is currently above 5 percent in eight cities in the country, which the DOH identified as Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Puerto Princesa, Davao, Quezon City, Parañaque and Makati. In Cebu, HIV prevalence is now at 14 percent, it said.

High-risk  group

Health Undersecretary Vicente Belizario Jr. yesterday said the use of condom among high-risk groups was only at 44 percent, only halfway to the target set by the Philippines at 80 percent.

According to the 2015 Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serologic Surveillance, the top reason cited for low condom use was its unavailability at 54 percent followed by rejection of using condoms during sexual activity at 21 percent and a small portion, at 4 percent, forgetting to use condom.

“Based on the survey done this year, 54 percent said condoms were not available. That is no longer true [because] condoms are readily accessible, prioritizing hotspots and we also give to not-so hotspots,” said Belizario.

“This is the information that they need to know, that condoms are available in the centers designated where these need to be distributed,” he added.

P10M for condoms

For next year, it is allocating P10 million for condoms and lubricants, a big bulk of which will be distributed in HIV “hotspots.”

Belizario said the DOH was asking Congress a budget allocation for next year of P600 million for HIV control and prevention from the over P300 million budget approved this year. A major portion of the budget will also be used for the purchase of antiretroviral drugs.

“We hope that this will be granted by Congress and signed by President Aquino before his term ends [because we need] extraordinary measures with this extraordinary period wherein we are seeing an increase in HIV cases,” said the DOH official.