EDITORIAL – No room for complacency

Perhaps all those horror stories about AIDS and HIV have done wonders. Perhaps Filipinos learned lessons quickly from the tragic life of AIDS victim Sarah Jane Salazar. Or perhaps most Filipinos have been practicing safe sex all along. Whatever the reason, there has been no steep rise in the number of Filipinos suffering from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or who are certified carriers of the AIDS-causing human immunodeficiency virus. That was one cause for celebration as the nation joined the international community yesterday in observing World AIDS Day.

The relatively low numbers, however, is no reason to let down our guard. While only over a thousand Filipinos have been verified to be suffering from AIDS, several thousands more are believed to be HIV carriers. There are also concerns that the affliction is under-reported in this country, with sufferers too scared or embarrassed to get a proper diagnosis for the incurable disease.

The disease can also be easily contracted abroad, where the problem continues to grow despite aggressive information campaigns and prevention programs. Since the disease was discovered, over 22 million people have died of AIDS, with 36 million more believed to be HIV carriers. Health experts have warned that AIDS/HIV could hit epidemic proportions in the world’s two most po-pulous nations, China and India. The AIDS/HIV problem in Asia, health experts warn, could become the se-cond largest in the world, after sub-Saharan Africa where 75 percent of sufferers live. As of last year up to 6.6 million people in Asia were afflicted with AIDS/HIV, according to estimates of the United Nations. The problem could affect economic growth in the worst hit countries.

In the Philippines, health authorities can prevent the spread of the disease by continuing their public awareness campaign, particularly in depressed communities. There should be no let-up in the promotion of safe sex as well as in efforts to erase the stigma associated with AIDS/HIV. This will encou-rage sufferers to come out and seek proper treatment. In the battle against a disease as deadly as AIDS, there is no room for complacency.