PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chairman Junie E. Cua has hailed the opening of two new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment areas in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), as he highlighted the need for more treatment areas across the country amid an increase in the number of infected Filipinos.
“Our government is taking active steps to ensure that Filipinos infected by HIV are able to seek treatment. I’m sure that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., and the Department of Health are working so that we can have more treatment hubs across the country amid the rise in HIV cases,” Cua said.
Data from the Department of Health shows that 50 new cases of HIV are recorded daily in the country, up from 22 daily cases in 2022. The increase in cases is more prevalent among the younger population, with 47 percent of all new cases coming from the 15 to 24-year-old bracket.
According to Cua, the PCSO provides HIV treatment assistance through its Medical Access Program.
“Alam naman po natin na mahal ang HIV treatment. Nais lang natin ipaalala sa ating mga kababayan na nagbibigay ang PCSO ng tulong para sa pagpapagamot ng HIV (HIV treatment is very expensive. I would like to inform our countrymen that the PCSO is offering medical assistance for HIV treatment),” he said.
He also urged HIV-positive Filipinos not to hesitate in seeking treatment, as he underscored that treatment could help ensure that people living with HIV (PLHIV) could still have a good quality of life.
“Ang sabi nga ng mga eksperto, hindi na death sentence ang magkaroon ng HIV, ‘di tulad noong nakaraan. With early diagnosis and treatment, magkakaroon pa rin tayo ng maayos na buhay (HIV is no longer a death sentence to those who are afflicted with the virus. With early diagnosis and treatment, they can still live normal lives),” said Cua.
“Kaya’t huwag po sana tayong magdadalawang-isip na harapin ang HIV, humingi tayo ng tulong sa mga pamilya at kaibigan natin ng suporta. At makakaasa rin po kayo na narito ang PCSO para tulungan din kayo (Let us confront this illness squarely. Seek the help and support of your family and friends. The PCSO is here to provide you with assistance),” he added.
