WITH the surge in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has put in place a treatment package worth P58,500 per year so HIV sufferers can have continuous treatments.
In a social media post, PhilHealth reminded people living with HIV (PLHIVs) to avail themselves of the Outpatient HIV Treatment (OHAT) Package, amounting to P58,500 annually or P14,625 per quarter.
“You are not alone in the fight against HIV/AIDS. With the PhilHealth OHAT package, you get help for your treatment and care,” said PhilHealth.
The PhilHealth reminder comes on the heels of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa’s proposal for a declaration of a public health emergency to cope with the surge in HIV cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDST said that the number of new HIV cases went up by 550 percent in 14 years or from 4,400 in 2010 to 29,600 in 2024. It also noted how at least 57 PLHIVs are detected in the country every day.
In a statement, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) backed the DOH in its call for the declaration of a public health emergency due to HIV.
“We support the Department of Health’s request for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to sign an executive order that would officially declare HIV a high-priority public health concern, requiring urgent action from all levels of government and society,” said WHO Philippines officer-in-charge Dr. Eunyoung Ko.
“We cannot afford to treat HIV as a health sector issue alone. It requires a whole-of-government, whole-of-society response,” said UNAIDS country director Dr. Louie Ocampo.
WHO and UNAIDS noted how the Philippines has the “fastest-growing number of HIV cases in the Asia-Pacific region.”
In a statement, the state-run health insurer Philhealth said the OHAT package includes an-tiretroviral therapy (ART) for all individuals with positive HIV test results that were confirmed by certified institutions, regardless of their clinical or immunologic status.
The outpatient treatment package also provides PLHIVs with access to all minimum essential services necessary for effective HIV management.
In 2024, PhilHealth disbursed a total of P1.66 billion for 176,819 OHAT package benefit claims.
PhilHealth said the benefit package can be accessed through any of the 234 accredited HIV treatment facilities nationwide.
For further inquiries on benefits and services, members may call PhilHealth’s 24/7 hotline at (02) 866 22588; or via mobile numbers 0998 857 2957, 0968 865 4670, 0917 127 5987, or 0917 110 9812.
