The Infection of Ignorance

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The Department of Health recently sounded the alarm over the increasing number of human immune-deficiency virus cases in the country as it breached the United Nations' five percent threshold of disease incidence among high-risk groups. The health agency is seeking to double the budget allocation for the control and prevention of HIV to P600 million, saying that if the government and stakeholders do not invest in preventing new infections, the figures could reach 133,000 by 2022.

HIV is a precursor to the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, a condition that weakens and destroys the body's defenses from infections and diseases, ultimately leading to death. Aside from attributing the steady rise of recorded HIV cases to increased surveillance and free access to screening, health officials also blame the low level of correct and comprehensive knowledge of HIV and the dismal condom use among vulnerable populations.

Health Secretary Janette Garin says 133,000 HIV cases six years from now will cost the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. P4 billion a year for the outpatient HIV package alone and would continue to increase each year if new infections are not curbed. She stressed the need to educate young key populations with correct information as the country has failed to reach its target of 80 percent in comprehensive knowledge of the prevention and transmission of the disease among high risk groups. Only 40 percent of males and transgender who have sex with males, female sex workers and people who inject drugs in the Philippines show extensive knowledge of HIV.

The increase in HIV infections among Filipinos may be a serious and costly problem that many of us would rather ignore but it is something that our health officials have to confront. We cannot continue to ignore the ignorance that is causing what has technically turning into an epidemic. The DOH is trying to do what it can to contain the HIV threat. Let us not hold them back from doing their job or wait and pretend like nothing is wrong and start complaining only when the problem has become too big to ignore.*