THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said it is looking at increasing the number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment facilities in the country to make treatment more accessible to people living with HIV.
The are 184 treatment hubs in the country.
Roland Sardan of the Department of Health’s HIV and AIDS program, said with more HIV treatment hubs and primary care facilities, persons living with HIV (PLHIV) will no longer need to go to urban areas to access services.
“What we are doing is increasing the numbers so that the PLHIVs can access the services in areas closest to them,” he added.
He said lack of access to HIV treatment facilities usually discourage persons with HIV from seeking treatment.
“Many of our PLHIVs still experience inequalities, such as getting access to medical services,” noted Sardan.
Data from the DOH shows 64,041 PLHIVs were undergoing anti-retroviral therapy (ART) as of last month. Majority (63,586) are males.
Based on the October 2022 HIV/AIDS Registry of the Philippines, there were 1,383 new HIV cases recorded in October.
The number is higher than the 1,136 new HIV cases recorded in October 2021.
Of the total October 2022 cases, 26 percent or 353 cases had clinical manifestations of being advanced HIV infection or AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency deficiency syndrome).
The DOH also reported 65 deaths from HIV/AIDS for the month of October 2022.
Sexual contact remains the predominant mode of transmission with 1,346 (97 percent).
Male-to-male sex accounted for 968 cases followed by 220 from those having sex with both male and female, and 158 from male-to-female sex.
Other modes of transmission are sharing infected needles with 15 cases, mother-to-child transmission (six), while another 16 cases had no data on the mode of transmission, said the health department.
