ILOILO City – Know your status. Self-testing for HIV or the human immunodeficiency virus is now possible in this city.
The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) and Department of Health (DOH) launched this and another innovative tool to combat the spread of HIV – the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – here yesterday coinciding with World AIDS Day.
HIV Self-Testing (HIVST) is a process where a person collects his or her own specimen (oral fluid or blood) and then performs an HIV test and interprets the result, often in a private setting, either alone or with someone he or she trusts, according to Mona Lisa Diones, FPOP Iloilo program manager.
HIV testing is essential for slowing the spread of HIV infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Many people are unaware that they are infected so they may be less likely to take precautions to help prevent spreading the virus to others. Early diagnosis often results in earlier treatment.
FPOP’s community center is located on Rizal Street, City Proper. It is open all year-round for those who want to avail themselves of free HIVST kit, said Diones.
In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the first global guidelines on HIV self-testing and recommended that this be offered as an additional approach to HIV testing services.
Meanwhile, PrEP is for people who do not have HIV but are at very high risk of getting HIV. To prevent HIV infection, they have to take a pill every day, said Diones.
The pill (brand name Truvada) contains two medicines (tenofovir and emtricitabine) that are used in combination with other medicines to combat HIV.
When someone is exposed to HIV through unprotected sex or sharing of infected needles used in injectable illicit drugs, the pill can work to keep the virus from establishing a permanent infection, said Diones.
“Ginapangita ta kon sin-o ang may virus. Tani panumdumon ta man nga ining mga tawo nga wala pa, we should protect them. Indi na naton sugtan nga magka-HIV sila,” said Diones.
When taken daily, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV, she stressed.
Studies have shown that PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99 percent when taken daily.
“Kon negative ka kag partner mo positive (sa HIV), at least indi ya ka malatnan,” said Diones.
Among people who inject drugs, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV by at least 74 percent when taken daily, said Diones, but PrEP is much less effective if it is not taken consistently.
PrEP can also be secured from FPOP for free.
Diones underscored the importance of educating the public on these positive approaches in combatting HIV.
“We should connect, engage and talk always about this. Gahatag kita hope sa tawo,” said Diones.
Meanwhile, Roberto Figuracion Jr., officer of the Raising Awareness for Junior Advocates on HIV (RAJAH) Community Center under the FPOP, said the two innovate tools aim to “normalize” the HIV testing practice.
“Rather than nagpa-test ka lang kay may risgo ka, this should be a normal thing to do, at least once to twice a year,” he said.
Figuracion also said HIV testing is not only for adults but also for minors as young as 15 years old.
They can already access HIV testing services, said Figuracion, citing Republic Act 11166 (Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act) which allows minors to access this service even without the consent of parents.
“This improves the coverage of HIV testing in the Philippines, and we are doing it here in Iloilo,” said Figuracion.
There are about 77,000 people living with HIV in the Philippines, said Figuracion, citing the estimates of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, but only about 62,029 have been diagnosed and reported.
“Around 15,000 people still don’t know their HIV status that is why we are innovating, making sure that we cover the key populations,” said Figuracion./PN
