What’s fueling the HIV epidemic in Philippines

The powerful Catholic church and government policies that restrict condom access and medical testing is fueling an HIV epidemic in the Philippines.

With a 140% increase in estimated annual new HIV infections from 2010 to 2016, UNAIDS said that the “Philippines has become the country with the fastest growing HIV epidemic in Asia and the Pacific, and has become one of eight countries that account for more than 85% of new infections in the region.”

This weekend, eight major organizations are coming together in the Philippines to provide the first-ever multi-site, free and confidential HIV testing day.

Called, ‘This Is Me: Brave and Free’ and led by HIV organization, LoveYourself people will be able to get free HIV tests at ten places around the Philippines on Saturday 26 May.

‘With the increasing number of people acquiring HIV, LoveYourself endeavors to gather fellow warriors in the advocacy for a stronger and resounding voice to promote self-empowerment in taking care of one’s sexual health, as a prelude to curbing the HIV epidemic in the country,’ said LoveYourself Executive Director Ronivin G Pagtakhan.

From January 1984 to March 2018, the number of individuals diagnosed with HIV in the Philippines is 53,192. Among those diagnosed from January 2001 to December 2005, the predominant age group was 35-49 years old. However, starting from January 2006 to March 2018, the trend shifted to the 25-34 age group. The proportion of HIV positive cases in the 15-24 age group increased from 25% in 2006-2010 to 29% in 2011-2018.

Of the 912 cases reported in March, ninety-four percent (858) of the newly diagnosed cases were male. More than half (52%, 471) were 25-34 years old while 31% (283) were 15-24 years old at the time of testing. Sexual contact remains the most predominant mode of transmission (99%, 899). Among this, 86% (774) were among males who have sex with males (MSM).

“Given the current HIV situation in the Philippines, we have to step up our efforts to reduce the number of new HIV cases in the country,” WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr Gundo Weiler said.

“We hope that people take this opportunity not only to remember the lives lost to HIV but to also work towards the elimination of HIV stigma in the Philippines. It is time to talk to your loved ones about HIV screening because treatment is readily available.”

“HIV is no longer a death sentence these days. We should end the stigma and fear attached to disease. HIV/AIDS can be prevented with correct information and deaths can be averted with treatment,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III stated.

Currently, Philippines has certified 85 HIV treatment hubs apart from social hygiene clinics located in strategic places across the country where PLHIVs can avail of services such as screening and basic laboratory testing, treatment and management of HIV-related illnesses and counseling.

The Philippine government fails to provide adequate school education programs on safe sex practices, particularly condom use, said Human Rights Watch.

The country’s growing HIV epidemic has been fueled by a legal and policy environment hostile to evidence-based policies and interventions proven to help prevent HIV transmission. Such restrictions are found in national, provincial, and local government policies, and are compounded by the longstanding resistance of the Roman Catholic Church to sexual health education and condom use, the organization said.

“Children may be particularly vulnerable to HIV due to inadequate sex education in schools and misguided policies requiring parental consent for those under 18 to purchase condoms or access HIV testing,” said Human Rights Watch.