CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) – “I am a person living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) for eight years. One of the benefits I enjoyed from the Department of Health (DOH) was the treatment I received for PLHIV; perhaps if they had not given it to me free of charge, I would have died, because before I was diagnosed with HIV, I had Tuberculosis (TB) and pneumonia, which needed treatment,” said Raffy Ardemil, case manager of City Health Office here.
In Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas episode six with DOH-10, Ardemil shared how grateful he is for the services he received from the government without spending anything, not unless the medicine was not available in the hospital; that was the only time he was able to shell out money.
“So wala ko nagduha-duha nga mu-avail sa service, nga gihatag sa DOH, which is ang anti-retroviral treatment kay kung wala’y anti-retroviral treatment, possible nga dili na gyud ko mu-survive, I was admitted in the hospital for almost three months, giabot og 30 kilos akong timbang, dili nako katindog, so nindot pud ang services ilang gihatag sa ako kay aside sa DOH, together with Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), dako kaayo akong bill ato, so since na-cover man ko sa indigent Philhealth, so nalibre ra pud, so wala ko’y gibayaran maski piso gyud or centavos,” Ardemil shared.
(So I did not hesitate to avail of the service, which was provided by the DOH, which is the anti-retroviral treatment, because if there had been no anti-retroviral treatment, it is possible that I would not have survived. I was admitted to the hospital for almost three months; my weight reached 30 kilos; I couldn’t stand, so the services they gave me aside from the DOH, together with the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), my bill was very big, so since I was covered under Indigent Philhealth, so it was free, so I didn’t pay anything, not even pesos or centavos.)
Further, under his PhilHealth membership, Ardemil shared that he is continuously able to avail himself of anti-retroviral treatment, and other laboratories are free of charge, including vaccines like hepatitis and flu vaccines.
Meanwhile, Dr. Wellaflor G. Kindom-Brito, head of the infectious diseases cluster of DOH-10, shared that there are seven treatment hubs or primary HIV care facilities in the region, particularly Adventist Medical Center-Iligan (HAVEN), Bukidnon Provincial Medical Center, HIV/AIDS Primary Care Services Integration of Maramag, Bukidnon, Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center (Dayon Klinik), Northern Mindanao Medical Center, CV-HASH (City of Valencia—HIV and AIDS Support House), and Amai Pakpak Medical Center.
From January to April 2024, there were 143 HIV cases in Region 10, including newly diagnosed cases, and 43 cases in April alone.
“More than 90 percent of our HIV cases are contracted through unprotected sexual intercourse. And when it comes to male or female, the most common is male-to-male intercourse,” Brito said.
When it comes to age, Ardemil shared, “Ako as case manager, ang gaka-handle nako gakabata na, 15 naa pud 16, gapabata nga gapabata si HIV, very alarming sa amo kay ing-ana nga age man gud dili pa kaayo nila masabtan, and then kana nga age kay covered pa sa parents’ Philhealth pag-ingon ana mag-wonder ang ginikanan nga ilang anak ing-ana, sa 16 nga edad.”
(I am a case manager, and the cases I handle are getting younger, between 15 and 16. The younger age of HIV-positive individuals is concerning, as they often lack understanding, and their parents’ PhilHealth coverage still extends to that age. When that happens, the parents will wonder who their child is at the age of 16.)
As a trend, the number of HIV cases continues to rise; currently, there are approximately 55 cases per day nationwide; previously, there were only 43 cases per day, but the number has increased.
He advised the young ones who engage in sexual activities to protect themselves by wearing condoms, while parents should have open communication with their kids. (JMOR/PIA-10)
