BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Department of Health (DOH)-led a health caravan in Baguio City on Sunday (Dec. 8) for the national observance of World AIDS Day.
With the theme, “Paint the Town Red! Take the Rights Path: My Health My Right,” the World AIDS Day event started with an advocacy walk along Session Road which was joined by officials and representatives from regional line agencies, the city Government of Baguio, hospitals, academic institutions, civil society organizations, barangay health workers and HIV/AIDS advocacy groups, among others.
The advocacy walk red-painted the stretch of Session Road with hundreds of participants parading with the WAD red-shirt and umbrellas. The health caravan featured HIV/AIDS services and information booths.
DOH Undersecretary Gloria Balboa, in her video message, outlined that the health caravan represents the Health Department’s commitment to bridging the HIV/AIDS healthcare gaps such as stigma, discrimination and inequity by bringing the services, like testing, treatment and education closer to the communities.
“It is about ensuring that no one feels forgotten or left behind,” she said.
Balboa also called for a continuing and stronger partnership in the fight against HIV/AIDS and for the attainment of a Healthy Philippines.
“Together we can break the barriers that hold us back and move closer to our vision of a healthy Philippines under the Universal Health Care, free from the burden of HIV/AIDS,” she stressed.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong, City Health Officer Dr. Celiaflor Brillantes, Department of the Interior and Local Government Regional Director Araceli San Jose and Department of Social Welfare and Development Regional Director Maria Aplaten and AIDS Healthcare Foundation Country Manager Dr. Ryan Guinaran gave messages of support.
There were also sharing of experiences from Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center HIV/AIDS Core Group leader Dr. Bernard Demot, HIV/AIDS advocates and a Person Living with HIV (PLHIV).
Towards the achievement of HIV/AIDS-free Philippines by 2030, the DOH is pushing for the joint UN program on HIV/AIDS which is 95-95-95 target, which objective is to diagnose 95% of all HIV-positive individuals, provide retroviral therapy (ART) for 95% of those diagnosed and achieve viral suppression for 95 percent of those treated.
The DOH is also pushing for the U = U advocacy or the Undetectable Equals Untrasmittable, wherein PLHIVs are being encouraged to complete or follow their Anti-Retroviral Therapy religiously, as PLHIVs who maintain an undetectable viral load for at least six month cannot transmit HIV through sex.
The WAD observance had a festive mood with fun games, Zumba and entertainment for the participants as well as Baguio folks and visitors. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)
