Increase in HIV cases, lost funding

According to the DOH, the number of cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) increased by 500% from January to March this year. They recorded 57 new cases per day. The ages of 15 to 25 are the most recorded --the young. HIV is the cause of AIDS. Because of this, the DOH wants the government to declare a national public health emergency on HIV so that everyone can help reduce the number. Those who may be carriers of HIV are encouraged to get tested for it. The test is free, and all information is treated as confidential. And of course, the precautions needed to avoid contracting the disease cannot be stressed enough.

This increase could not have come at a worse time. When US President Trump took office, the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE was created to supposedly address waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. Elon Musk and his cadre of young techies headed the department. And one of the first agencies they gutted was the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). All foreign aid was frozen, including that for HIV programs.

This has forced many LGBTQ+ organizations in the country to lay off personnel and cut back on their programs as they struggle to fill the financial void brought about by Trump’s policies. We all know Trump and Republicans in general are not fond of the LGBTQ+ community in the US and probably the whole world. This makes the declaration of a public health emergency more urgent, as it would help free up some funds for these centers to continue to operate.

There are ongoing efforts to lobby for more funding from the national government to include these programs in the national budget, making the country self-sufficient in dealing with the disease. I think for that to succeed, we must first eradicate the stigma of the disease. Such stigma still exists, especially within the poorest of the population. Those afflicted are forced to suffer in secret. At a time when one needs all the support one can get, it might not be there.

The Philippine government is still trying to get some form of exemption from Trump’s freeze on aid. They would do well to explain that the aid from USAID was vital to so many programs. We’re not exactly rolling in it, so the funds from USAID go a long way. Hopefully, the US government listens. But with the ongoing public feud between Trump and Musk, I’m not holding my breath.