How Infectious' Virus?

One's simple ignorance can root a huge mutilation.

It is bad enough that people are dying of Aids, but no one should die of ignorance.” – Elizabeth Taylor

Caption by: Robie R. Lopez
Layout by: Robie R. Lopez

"𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙃𝙄𝙑 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 -- 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚, 𝙖 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚."

- 𝙇𝙖𝙪𝙧𝙖 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙝

According to Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, the projected number of Filipinos living with HIV may increase significantly by 2030 -- from an estimated 215,400 in 2024 to 401,700 -- if services for HIV/AIDS prevention in general and PLHIV support continue to lack improvement.

Though HIV is a disease, which cannot be cured or eradicated from society, the only solution to HIV lies in its prevention and awareness. We must have our regular and periodical health checkup so that we don’t fall prey to such deadly diseases. The only way to fight the HIV disease is through creating awareness and ending the stigma.

Caption by : Sophia Danielle S. Pascual
Layout by: Sophia Danielle S. Pascual

We are eager to present the HIV/AIDS Surveillance of the Philippines (HASP) Report for the 1st Quarter of 2024. Stay tuned, we have more reports coming in shortly. 😁🤔

[1] Want the whole report? Click here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yD0D9ztEhDf4gOpgqSI7ykEmdilfqTbb/view?usp=sharing

[2] For everything else, this is the DOH HIV/STI Report Archive: https://doh.gov.ph/health-statistics/hiv-sti/

We would like to note that the DOH Website is undergoing Content Migration, which is why we'll be linking our Google drive for the reports for the meantime.

“𝙃𝙄𝙑 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙨𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙖 𝙝𝙪𝙜: 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩.” — Princess Diana

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. Over time, they cause Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. Without treatment, the average survival time after infection with HIV is estimated to be 9 to 11 years, depending on the HIV subtype.

Let us recommit ourselves to build a a society free from HIV/AIDS. AIDS as a medical condition is non-communicable & does not spread through mere physical contact. The need of the hour is to destigmatize the disease & ensure a supporting ecosystem for patients

Together, we can end the stigma.

Touching an HIV positive person does not spread HIV. Nor does sitting with them.