505 new HIV cases in QC

The high number of new cases of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) in the first seven months of the year has attracted the concern of the Quezon City government.

Based on a report by the Quezon City Health Department, 505 new HIV cases have been recorded from January to July this year, 486 of which were males and 19 females.

In a bid to address the growing number of HIV cases in Quezon City, the local government is set to launch the “Zero at 2030” campaign.

Dr. Rolando Cruz, head of the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit and STI/HIV Program Manager, said in July alone, 77 new HIV cases were tallied.

While the number of cases this year is lower compared to the 509 cases recorded last year, Cruz said the number could surpass last year’s 849 new cases before 2019 ends.

Of the 505 new cases, 321 were transmitted through male-to-male sex, 116 through males having sex with both males and females and 61 via male-female sex only.

Cruz said the reasons behind the high number of new HIV cases include high-risk sexual behavior and very low use of condom or protective behavior.

“The low knowledge to prevent HIV and the stigma and discrimination attached to HIV also contributed to the high number of fresh cases,” he said.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the “Zero at 2030” program aims to prevent the spread of HIV through three stages — Prevention, Control and Treatment.

“We are concerned by the continued incidence of new HIV cases in the city amid our ongoing efforts to combat it,” Belmonte said.

By 2022, Belmonte said the campaign’s target is to have 90 percent of local residents with HIV to know their status, 90 percent who are positive to get treatment and 90 percent on treatment should stay treated.

“This way, we can reach the goal of zero new cases, zero HIV-related deaths and zero discrimination by 2030,” Belmonte emphasized.