Manila: Malaca±ang announced that the Department of Health (DOH) is scaling up its HIV/AIDS testing and prevention efforts as the number of persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Philippines continues to increase.
According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the DOH’s actions are being guided by updated global estimates from the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). To address the rising cases, Castro explained that the DOH is enhancing access to HIV testing across the nation.
Castro conveyed that the DOH, based on UNAIDS 2024 global HIV data, estimates that the Philippines has 217,700 people living with HIV, with approximately 30,800 new infections occurring annually. She further noted, “The DOH is expanding testing in all BUCAS centers and integrating it into primary care facilities through the review of the YAKAP program.”
Additionally, the DOH is procuring pre-exposure prophylaxis to help prevent transmission. Data from the DOH Epidemiology Bureau revealed a 550 percent increase in new HIV infections from 2010 to 2024, with a significant rise among those aged 15 to 24.
Between July and September, there was a 22 percent increase in confirmed HIV-positive cases, with 5,583 individuals recorded compared to 4,595 in the same period last year. The regions with the highest recorded infections during this quarter are Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Davao Region, accounting for 61 percent of the total cases.
Castro stressed the importance of public awareness regarding responsible behavior and the risks of unsafe sexual practices, stating the necessity for deeper public education on these issues.
DOH data shows that the average daily case detection has risen to 61 cases per day, up from last year’s third-quarter average of 51 cases per day. Of the newly confirmed infections this quarter, 5,299 or 95 percent were men, while 282 or 5 percent were women. Cases ranged from ages 1 to 73, with a median age of 27.
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. has expanded the outpatient care package for PLHIV, providing increased financial coverage and enhanced confidentiality safeguards.
