MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) reminded the public to practice safe sex as it is important to avoid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission.
“On an individual level, marami rin tayong mga pansariling hakbang na maaaring gawin upang mapigilan ang pagkalat ng HIV (we also have several personal measures that can be taken to prevent the spread of HIV),” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire on Thursday, Dec. 1.
“Let us always practice safe sex, regularly undergo HIV testing, and encourage all our friends and peers to do the same,” she added.
Safe sex involves understanding of sex as well as contraceptive and family planning methods.
DOH-Prevention and Control Bureau Program Expert Roland Sardan stated during a webinar that it is also important to know about the different sexually transmitted infections.
“You would never go wrong with the right information and right knowledge about the disease and how it is spread, how it is transmitted, how you will protect yourself,” said Sardan.
“And also promoting sex positivity—kasi nga nagiging taboo yung usapang sex sa atin. If we just accept that it’s a normal human process that we do and you have the proper knowledge to protect yourself, then you can protect yourself from HIV,” he added.
Vergeire said that the “ongoing HIV and AIDS epidemic in the country remains to be one of the long-standing issues requiring concerted action from all sectors of society.”
“The goal of ending AIDS can only be achieved if the inequalities that predispose us to the disease and exacerbate its impacts are addressed,” she said.
She stressed the significance of cultivating a “sustainable and supportive environment that is responsive to the needs of our vulnerable and key populations” like people living with HIV (PLHIV).
“We must all work together not just to implement our strategies and interventions, but to ensure that those who need it most–especially our PLHIVs and other key populations–are able to access our HIV services without difficulty or stigma,” said Vergeire.
“Beyond this, we must also harness our individual expertise and join our efforts to address the systemic and socioeconomic barriers that prevent our fellow Filipinos from leading healthy, productive lives free from the impacts of HIV. Only through collective action will we be able to end the HIV epidemic in the country,” she added.
The DOH is aiming to further increase the number of HIV treatment hubs in the country to make it more accessible to those with HIV, according to Sardan. As of now, there are 184 treatment hubs across the country.
