Department of Health Regional Office VII commemorates 2017 Candlelight AIDS Memorial
In strengthening with the view on public awareness on HIV and AIDS, the Department of Health Regional Office VII commemorated the annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial under the theme “Ending AIDS Together” last 17 May 2017 at the Cebu Provincial Capitol Social Hall, Cebu City.
Secretary of Health Sec. Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial attended the activity along with official representatives from DOH Central Office, Province of Cebu and the Cities of Cebu and Mandaue and other LGUs. It was spearheaded by the DOH Regional Office VII and coordinated by the different stakeholders and partners coming from the community-based organizations, private funding partners and faith-based organizations.
The yearly commemoration is aimed at remembering the people who lost the battle to AIDS, raise awareness in the fight towards ending stigma and discrimination related to HIV and AIDS and also in recognition to the partners who unwaveringly supported the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic. Simultaneously, candlelight ceremony was conducted in the provinces of Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
In his welcome remarks, Department of Health Regional Office VII Director, Dir. Jaime S. Bernadas highlighted the value of interacting and working with one another to raise awareness on HIV and AIDS.
“The Department of Health together with stakeholders has been more active than ever in addressing the spread of HIV. Partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) in making HIV and STI education part of the curriculum of high school students is proof that partnership is the key in addressing the problems not just of stigma and discrimination, but also in providing care and support for the people with HIV and also their families.” Dir. Bernadas proclaimed.
Speaking before the commemoration is the Health Secretary Paulyn Jean-Rosell Ubial, where she emphasized the gains from national to local level and stressed the importance of on HIV prevention awareness drive.
“Our purpose in this gathering is to manifest our support to end social stigma attached in the HIV and we need to do something about it. As advocates of HIV prevention, let’s work together and inform people about this epidemic. Our collective effort as a whole brings relevance to this commemoration which attributes to the continuous progress of ending stigma in the community.” Sec. Ubial urged.
Based on the HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines records as of March 2017 a total of 42, 284 cases was tallied nationally of new HIV cases in the country; 2,661 cases that were added in the first three months (January to March) of this year. In the month of March alone nine hundred-sixty-eight (968) new cases were added. Of these, seventy-six (76) came from Region 7. Majority of these new cases were the 25-34 years old followed by 15-24 years old.
Given the high rate incidence of the HIV and AIDS cases in the Philippines, the Department of Health is continuing its relentless information drive against the exponential increase in cases through proactive partnership and raising HIV awareness and advocacy activities with key affected segment of the population. Relative to this, an HIV Awareness concert was conducted on 20 May 2017 at the Ayala Center Cebu. Free voluntary HIV screening and counseling were also offered during the activity including pre and post-test counseling.