MANILA – Advocacy groups on Friday supported the health department’s call to make HIV a national public health emergency.

They also urged the government to strengthen efforts for detection and treatment. 

In a forum, Dr. Louie Ocampo, the Philippine country director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said it is about time the country prioritized HIV.  

Ocampo said the discussion on HIV is not just about health but it is also about education and labor, just as he said it is already overdue. 

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“Base sa bilang ng estimated new infections this year – 29,000 ang estimated na bagong infection. Considering also na more than almost 50 percent of these new cases will be coming from the young people,” said Ocampo. 

“If the intention is to consolidate yung efforts ng lahat ng sangay ng government unit sa pagde-deklara ng national health emergency at ito ang paraan para tugunan ang lahat ng gobyerno yung mga problema natin sa HIV, siguro hindi lang ngayon, dapat noong 2017 pa,” he said. 

Mark de Castro, strategy manager of Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines (SHIP), Inc. said the Philippines currently has 299 testing sites for HIV and 40 community-based organizations, which helps people living with HIVs (PLHIV) and for detection.  

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He also said the different modalities of HIV testing have made it accessible to different individuals nationwide. 

“Kailangan natin siyang magkaroon ng ganoong declaration so we can sustain the increase in services na napo-provide namin ngayon,” de Castro said.