Free mass HIV testing held in Malate

To cap National HIV Testing Week, a non-government organization held a free and confidential mass HIV testing in Malate, Manila together with the Department of Health's Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) on Sunday.

According to Ronivin Pagtakhan, executive director of LoveYourself, while more than a thousand signed up during pre-registration, they were expecting only around 300 people to show up, based on turn-outs since the group started mass testing in 2011.

"'Yung reactive rate namin doon usually pumapalo ng 14-15 percent, which is a good indication kasi ibig sabihin we are hitting the correct people." Pagtakhan said.

The RITM prepared test kits for 500 people.

"Mark", not his real name, had himself tested today.  He said it has been three years since he first took part in a mass HIV testing event. He says it is his responsibility to have himself tested.

"Naging liberating siya after. 'Yung pakiramdam ko ay parang sobrang responsable ko," he said.

Those who test positive will be referred to the DOH for medical attention.

As of March this year, 9,475 people living with the human immunodeficiency virus are undergoing medication through the DOH's Anti-Retroviral Therapy program.

According to DOH spokesperson Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy during the launch of National HIV Testing Week, the program can accommodate 15,000 patients.

Pagtakhan stressed the importance of knowing one's HIV status to prevent further transmission: "Kunyari may asawa ka at gusto nyong magka-anak, paano magkakaroon ng anak na hindi magkakaroon ng HIV 'yung anak mo? 'Yun ang mga bagay kasi maraming misconception. Akala nila kapag may HIV ka na, katapusan na ng mundo when in fact you can live a normal life. You can have a family," he said.

Based on the latest HIV/AIDS and ART (Anti-Retroviral Therapy) Registry of the Philippines, or HARP, of the DOH's National Epidemiology Center, the youngest of the 667 cases recorded in March 2015 is two years old. The child is among the three cases infected through mother to child transmission.

The number of those diagnosed in March is also the highest since 1984. Males make up 96 percent of those cases. Twenty-one are adolescents aged 17-19—one was infected through needle sharing and the rest were through sexual contact.

More than half of the cases, or 56 percent, belong to the 25-34 age group.

The daily average of confirmed HIV cases for 2015 is now 21.

Since 1984, there have been 1,167 reported deaths due to HIV/AIDS in the Philippines. In March, 18 died because of HIV/AIDS.

The DOH earlier called on populations at high risk of acquiring HIV to have themselves tested in government facilities that offer free and confidential testing services.

In its National Demographic Health Survey of 2013, the DOH noted that only 2 percent of women aged 15-49 have had themselves tested for HIV and know their status.

In another surveillance study, the DOH found out that only 8 percent of males who have sex with males have voluntarily accessed HIV-testing services and are aware of the results of the tests.

Among male sex workers, only 15.2 percent have been tested, while among transgenders who are sex workers, an underwhelming 6.3 percent have been tested for it.

For more information on the testing centers, the following hotlines will be active until the end of May: (02) 256-3472; 0915-198-6978; 0922-635-0270; 0936-183-8963; and 0919-638-5401. — BM/JDS, GMA News