BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Department of Health in the Cordillera region is strengthening the promotion of a public health campaign that aims to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) stigma, encourage testing and treatment, and empower people living with HIV (PLHIV).
The DOH’s Undetectable equals Untransmittable (U=U) campaign goal is for all PLHIV to regularly take their medication for them to achieve an undetectable HIV viral load, a level wherein a PLHIV can no longer transmit nor infect others with the HIV virus, said Darwin Babon, development management officer at the DOH.
In CAR, 31 percent of the total cases are considered Acute HIV disease. In terms of treatment, CAR has an average treatment retention rate of 80.57 percent in all the treatment hubs in the region in 2024, Babon shared.
Viral suppression in the region is at 99.5 percent and 90.67 percent of which have been recorded as undetectable.
“End goal natin is zero AIDS – related death in the region through increased demand generation for HIV testing to ensure early diagnosis. Iniiwasan natin dito ay late diagnosis, yung mga may complications na like TB, pneumonia and also cancer,” Babon said.
He is encouraging individuals, especially those at the younger age bracket and involved in high risk behaviors and having multiple partners, to have an HIV screening, which is given free at HIV treatment hubs and by other DOH partners.
The HIV/AIDS Treatment Hubs in the region are located at the Baguio City Health Services Office, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Benguet Provincial Hospital, Kalinga Provincial Hospital, Luis Horal Memorial Regional Hospital in Bauko, Mountain Province, and Far North Luzon General Hospital and Training Center in Luna, Apayao.
Based on DOH-CAR records, there are 1,290 cases of HIV recorded in the region from 1984 to present, including 81 new cases in 2024 and 31 in the first two months of this year.
Most of the cases are males with 1,198 and more than half of the cases (731) were tagged in Baguio City.
On mode of transmission, the top three are men having sex with men or MSMs (779), male – female sex (293) and males having sex with females and male (285), Babon shared.
Babon moreover promoted International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, an annual event that is being observed every third Sunday of May dedicated in memory of those who have died from AIDS. Likewise, to express support to people living with HIV.
The theme of the 2025 International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is “We remember, we rise, we lead”.
This honors the collective memory of our journeys together, celebrate the resilience that brings us forward and embraces the responsibility of leadership in shaping healthier and stronger communities for our PLHIV, Babon shared.
“Sana itong International AIDS Candlelight Memorial aymagsilbi na paalala sa ating mga kababayan na HIV testing is free and HIV testing is important,” he added. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)
