60 new HIV-AIDS cases in region

CEBU, Philippines - Central Visayas has recorded 60 new cases of people infected with  Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or 19.74 percent of all new cases nationwide.

Based on Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit-7 data, there are 60 new cases of asymptomatic victims this year, or patients who are carriers of the infection or disease but experienced no symptoms.

This increased the total number of victims to 265, one of whom a woman, from 235 recorded on the same month last year.

Overall, there are 304 new victims in the country, 12 of whom are female, including the one in Region 7.

Central Visayas is third among all regions in the country that have the most HIV cases, with the victims ages 25 to 34.

Rennan Cimafranca, RESU-7 chief, said the number of AIDS cases rose due to intravenous drug use followed by homosexual intercourse.

In Cebu, only the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center serves as treatment hub, where antiretroviral medications are given to AIDS victims.

This medication, however, is not a treatment as it is only intended to suppress the increase of the virus in the body. It is also the physician who would determine and assess if a victim should be given a medication or not.

There are 7,127 in the country documented with HIV and are currently on antiretroviral therapy in 19 treatment hubs.

Cimafranca said the most common cause is the sharing of syringes (especially in using drugs), multiple sex partners, and unprotected sex.

“Kita wala gyud ta magkuwang sa maghimangyo kay diha ra man ta kutob, unya lisod man gyud ning bisyo na gyud kay bisan unsaon nato ug pahimangno mao na man gyud na ilaha (We are not remiss in issuing reminders, which is all that we could do. It is difficult if it has become a vice already because reminders get ignored),” he said.

RESU once again appealed to those who share syringes to have a regular medical checkup for HIV-AIDS. (FREEMAN)