Philippines Grapples with HIV Crisis Surge, Urges Health Emergency
(MENAFN) The Philippines is grappling with a sharp escalation in HIV infections, prompting officials to urge the declaration of a national public health emergency to tackle the crisis.
The country is currently reporting nearly 57 new HIV cases each day, with infections among young people surging by 500%, according to a state-run news outlet on Tuesday.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa revealed that the Philippines “now has the highest number of new HIV cases in the Western Pacific Region.”
Recent statistics show that from 1984 through March of this year, a total of 148,831 HIV cases have been documented nationwide.
The first quarter of this year alone recorded 5,101 new infections, a significant rise from the 3,409 cases reported during the same period last year, the report highlighted.
Herbosa warned, “If we're unable to prevent the increase of HIV cases, we could reach over 400,000 people living with HIV.”
He further emphasized, "It would be good to declare a public health emergency, a national emergency, for HIV because it would encourage the entire society to work together. A whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach can help us in this campaign to reduce new HIV cases," as quoted by a news outlet.
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