Ceasing HIV

Last December 3, 2013 at the College of Mass Communication Auditorium in the University of the Philippines - Diliman, speakers Jeffrey Acaba, Ryan Pinili, and Dr. Enique Tayag who is the Assistant Secretary of Health Designate in the Department of Health informed the audience about the increasing number of Filipinos suffering with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and here are facts stated during their forum:

Statistics

Philippines is one of the countries considered with the most number of HIV patients. The total reported HIV cases since 1984 is around 15,774 and 47% are known came from the National Capital Region (NCR). From the statistics as well, the vast of the victims come from the margin aged young.

It is believed that the reason for the majority to be in the capital region is due to the numerous escort services and businesses ignored by the Government for closure. A reason could also be due to the concentration of population in NCR.

Source

Dr. Tayag mentioned that following are the highly probable sources of this virus: Male to male sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, anal sex, and drug injection. Moreover, receptivity from blood transfusion can be up to about 90%.

Drug injection is found to be the most ideal source in Cebu due to the unsterilized and reuse of needles being injected to multiple patients.

Survey

From a survey conducted, the most common reasons for those who engage in sex become victims of HIV are: (1) that condoms are not available on the verge of doing the deed; (2) the patient do not like using condoms;  (3) the partner object to using condoms; and, (4) contraceptives are not necessary.

Dr. Tayag elaborated the unavailability of condoms are usually due to having sex inside homes and possessing a condom can be speculated by the immediate family that the person is sexual active. This is a commonly known taboo especially that Filipino families are known to be reserved and conservative.

Preventive Measures

Still the most advised method to avoid getting HIV is always using condoms when engaging in sex and taking the test regularly to be informed as well and prevent spreading it more.

Test Statistics

The speakers also clarified that only 1 out of 3 will take the test and fewer will get the results.

Ceasing HIV

From the forum, how can we really halt the increase of people suffering from HIV?

Though the preventive measures are stated above, it is really difficult for us to take these measures for our own safety with the unsaid costs and the accustomed violation to privacy.

From the facts stated teenagers to young adults are normally the victims of HIV for being sexually active. Experts say that to avoid it, use condoms. However, having a reserved culture, it is difficult to accomplish this with all the prying judgement of elders when they automatically see a person owning a condom - especially if you are young.

The real solution to this issue is erasing this kind of backwards thinking in our culture.

Starting this off is with the Government allowing the selling of contraceptives which has been successful with the implementation of the RH law.

Second is for media to continuously alert and advise the young to the statistics, facts and ways to avoid HIV. MTV has done a commendable job with this - allowing contraceptive ads in their channel especially knowing that the young tune in to their channel. Hopefully, the rest will follow, especially local-based channels which influence the mass of the country.

Third is education. Though talks are allowed by some companies and schools, obligation to these talks is low and that target is for individuals and not for individuals and consideration to others. It would also be an advantage if companies mandate STD talks. Talks in companies should keep in mind adding in their program parents' open-mindedness in teaching and passing off these preventive measures to their children at a maturing age. It should convince parents that sexual education is a preventive measure and not an influence for young people to engage in sex - also they should stress importance and necessity of sexual education coming from parents. Schools should also be mandated to offer sexual education at the last year in High School or the first year in College. Education at this level should also teach respect and consideration for people in possession of contraceptives.

Though contraceptives is still a debatable issue today and it will be a lengthy amount of time before the path to acceptance is smoothen with this issue, it should still be pondered that if we start today, the sooner will there be a halt to HIV and other STD and the lesser people will be affected in the long run.