DOH sees more HIV cases in next 3 years

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported that more Filipinos are likely to contract the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) despite intensified efforts to prevent its spread.

Dr. Eric Tayag, DOH assistant secretary and spokesman, said HIV prevalence in the country is expected to further worsen in the next two to three years because the impact of government’s intervention program could not be felt immediately.

“While we are addressing this with new strategies, we have already said that it is going to get worse before it gets better,” Tayag said, adding that intervention strategies included peer counseling and education campaign.

“It takes three to five years before we can see a change,” said Tayag.

Based on DOH data, 295 new HIV cases were recorded in June. The figure brought to 1,600 the total new HIV cases for the year.

Of the 295 new cases, 16 have progressed into full-blown acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

This year’s HIV cases have already surpassed the total number of 1,591 recorded for the whole of 2010.

A large part of the HIV cases, 275 in all, were acquired through sexual contact, with 239 cases coming from the male-having-sex-with male (MSM) category, accounting for 87 percent.