DOH-6 says that the most vulnerable are the youth (from 15 to 24 years old) and young professionals (from 25 to 35 years old)
Read more: http://www.rappler.com/nation/92569-...estern-visayas
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The Filipinos badly need to be educated with this!
DOH-6 says that the most vulnerable are the youth (from 15 to 24 years old) and young professionals (from 25 to 35 years old)
Read more: http://www.rappler.com/nation/92569-...estern-visayas
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-=rayna.keith=-
...When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible...
No disrespect but I am surprised the numbers are so low. With no cotraception being used.
The numbers of HIV / AIDS quoted ARE low … and improbably precise!
• We know that deaths from AIDS worldwide have fallen since their peak a decade ago, but there are still an estimated 35 million living with HIV infection ; 2 million new cases and 1.5 million deaths each year.
• It’s unlikely that the Philippines is exceptional in having an increasing number of HIV cases ( about 24,000 confirmed to date since 1984 ), and more likely that the true numbers are now estimated more accurately. The true number could well be around 50,000. That compares to over 100,000 estimated cases in the UK ( perhaps a quarter not knowing they are infected ).
• " The end of AIDS " and " AIDS-free generation " are now being talked about – NOT the same as the end of HIV infection, which is still a long way off
• Drugs can now suppress virus numbers, and decrease transmission from HIV positive individuals to their partners. Treatment needs to be lifelong. Access to affordable drugs is still a problem. It’s made worse when the diagnoses are not even made in a significant minority of the population.
• There is NO single remedy, and as yet no vaccine. Condoms protect against HIV infection as well as most other sexually transmitted infections. But we know they’re not always culturally acceptable and depend especially on the male partner’s cooperation. Circumcision also gives partial protection against male acquisition of HIV – but again not the only answer. Clean needles and syringes for injecting drug users would help. Ensuring a safe blood supply is another factor. Better awareness and sex education are needed.
• Next week the Philippines Department of Health is proclaiming " National HIV Testing Week ". Free HIV testing is said to be available in all " social hygiene clinics , especially in high risk areas ". The DOH notes the " low testing rate among our key populations " - a very low percentage of women ( 2% ); also less than a fifth of male sex workers, men having sex with men, and people injecting drugs.
There is still a stigma attached to HIV testing, in addition to ignorance and complacency.
http://www.pnac.org.ph/index.php?mac...t01returnid=39
Not to forget the pure fear of waiting for a positive result.. Sure that would put a lot of people off.There is still a stigma attached to HIV testing, in addition to ignorance and complacency.
Originally Posted by fred
This is indeed one reason for such a low rate of testing - fear of having such a serious infection ; of others finding out their status if positive ( HIV testing should not be done without consent and results should always be confidential ) ; and their partner's response, since they DO need to be told.
Clearly anyone thinking of having HIV testing should have a plan for their response - whether it proves positive or negative. At the very least they need to be well informed about HIV infection and AIDS ; the risks if untreated ; and the fact that drugs may now successfully " recover " the immune system, even if symptoms of AIDS are already present. That information needs to be from a reliable source - whether through informed friends, internet links, their own doctor or other form of counselling.
Unfortunately fear may be combined with ignorance. Irresponsibility together with complacency and apathy may also be factors in the very people most at risk NOT being tested. A little knowledge - that drugs are now available to treat HIV infection - has the effect in some of those at risk of not taking it seriously enough to reduce the risk to themselves and others
See also #6 in this thread :-
http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....047#post540047
Not related to HIV, but I have a friend who doesn't really like going to doctors. She has some illness (I forgot what it is, but it isn't really life threatening) and everytime she complains about it giving her some difficulty at work, she would always tell me that she'll just self-medicate whenever I advise her to visit the doctors. She said she's scared of knowing what the actual conditions are, whether it got worse.
...When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible...
I can understand why someone might " not really like going to doctors " ( or dentists ), especially if they have to pay for the consultation and treatment. However, health professionals’ prime aim is to diagnose and treat patients , make them better, and ideally cure them.
Screening apparently normal people is another matter, with advantages, but also disadvantages which are not so well known
(http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....cks-worthwhile ).
Screening for HIV infection would NOT be a health check which most people should have. It meets some requirements of screening tests set out by World Health Organization nearly 50 years ago :- important health problem ; accepted treatment ; stage with early symptoms ; suitable test(s) ; acceptable to the population ; but not all :- funding and agreed policy on whom to treat as patients ; cost of case-finding ( including diagnosis and treatment of patients diagnosed ) balanced in relation to total expenditure on health care.
Unfortunately many of those who would benefit are the very ones who don’t bother – for the reasons I’ve given. They’re not likely to read Philippines Department of Health press releases ( and even less likely to read my posts ! )
Three very informative posts Alan, thank you, keep posting!
Thank you in turn Michael for appreciating my efforts in responding to other members' threadsThree very informative posts Alan, thank you, keep posting!
Your support for the Forum generally is much valued.
There has been an interesting recent radio series on HIV/ AIDS from the BBC World Service " Health Check " . The latest episode entitled " MANILA … The Truth About AIDS " is available on podcast :-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002...odes/downloads
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