Defensor alarmed over possible surge in HIV cases amid pandemic

A day before the worldwide celebration of World AIDS Day, Anakalusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor said he was alarmed over a possible surge in undiagnosed HIV cases in the country after fewer people were tested due to "disruptions" from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our fight against AIDS has been set back by the COVID-19 crisis, leaving thousands of Filipinos living with HIV undiagnosed and untreated,” Defensor, House health committee vice-chairperson, said in a Monday statement.

Citing statistics from the National AIDS Registry, Defensor said that from April to June 2020, when lockdowns around the country were at their peak, only 934 new HIV cases were detected nationwide, down 68% from the 2,938 recorded cases during the same period last year.

All in all, from January to September this year, only 5,627 new HIV cases were recorded, which was 42% lower than the 9,749 cases discovered during the same nine-month period in 2019.

“There is only one reason for the big drop in newly reported HIV cases – fewer Filipinos who may be living with HIV are actually getting tested,” Defensor said.

“Thus, we may have a larger number of undiagnosed and untreated individuals out there contributing to the spread of HIV, mainly through sexual contact, without them knowing it.”

If left untreated, an HIV infection develops into AIDS, or the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, which destroys the human body's ability to repel infections.

While there was no cure for an HIV infection, early diagnosis and antiretroviral therapy (ART) slows down the progression of the virus and reduces the risk of transmission, according to the Department of Health.

As of September this year, a total of 45,981 Filipinos living with HIV have been undergoing ART, accounting for 57% of the 80,434 cases listed in the National AIDS Registry. — DVM, GMA News