DOH HIV & AIDS registry for July 2009

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I am posting this fact not to scare anyone but to let all of us know the growing number of HIV/ AIDS cases in the Philippines. This has two implications... either HIV/ AIDS is spreading like wild forest fire or people are getting informed and concern is apparent that people are getting themselves tested. Either way, we should not stop the fight againts the prevention of HIV/ AIDS.

There is nothing to be ashamed of being HIV positive. I've heard a lot fo reasons why people do not come out or keep their HIV status a secret. I honestly think that they are all valid reasons. Negative or positive, we have to make sure that we keep an open mind and a loving heart. Nobody needs to be treated with special attention but everyone deserved to be respected.

I have my own reasons for coming out. I do not have to enumerate all of them but I can assure all of you that I am doing it for the greater good. There is more goodness in this world than we think there is. It helps to always hope that things will be better in the end.

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Report by the Department of Health for July 2009 HIV and AIDS registry:

[source: http://www.youthaidsfilipinasalliance.org/group/yafaeasternvisayaschapter]

In July 2009, there were 70 new HIV Ab sero positive individuals confirmed by the STD/AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory (SACCL) and reported to the HIV and AIDS Registry. This was a 32% increase compared to the same period last year (n=53 in 2008) and the second highest number reported in a month. This brings the total for 2009 (January to July) to 432cases.

Most of the cases (87%) were males. The median age was 28 years (age range: 18-58 years). The 25-29 year age-group had the most cases (31%). Fifty-six percent (39) of reported cases were from the National Capital Region (NCR).

Sixty-nine cases reported sexual contact as mode of HIV transmission; one case had no data. Bisexual contact (38%) was the predominant type of sexual transmission. Most (97%) of the cases were still asymptomatic at the time of reporting (Figure 3). There was no death for this month.

AIDS CASES
Of the 70 HIV positive cases, two were reported as AIDS cases; both were males (19 years and 21 years). One acquired the infection through bisexual contact and one through homosexual contact. There was no death reported for this month.

OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFW)
Twenty-one of the 70 (30%) reported cases were OFWs . Sixteen (76%) were males. The median age was 33 years (age range: 23-58 years). All cases acquired the HIV infection through sexual contact (14 heterosexual, 2 homosexual, and 5 bisexual).

Cumulative Number of HIV Ab Seropositive Cases (1984-2009)
From January 1984 to July 2009, there were 4,021 HIV Ab seropositive cases reported, of which 3,204 (80%) were asymptomatic and 817 (20%) were AIDS cases. Ages ranged from 1-72 years (median 32 years). The age groups with the most number of cases were: 25-29 years (22%), 30-34 years (20%), 35-39 years (16%). Seventytwo percent (2,873) were males.