Number of OFWs with HIV rising — lawmaker

The number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected increased in January from 68 in the same month last year, ACTS-OFW party-list said yesterday.

“The January cases brought to 6,345 the cumulative number of OFWs found living with HIV since the government began passive surveillance of the virus in 1984,” Rep. John Bertiz said.

OFWs now comprise 10 percent of the 63,278 confirmed cases listed in the National HIV/AIDS Registry as of January, according to Bertiz.

Of the 6,345 OFWs in the registry, 86 percent, or 5,471, were male with the median age of 32 years. The 874 female OFWs in the registry had a median age of 34 years.

Of the male cases, 2,283 got infected through male-to-male sex and 1,651 through sex with both males and females.

HIV causes AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, which destroys the human body’s natural ability to fight off all kinds of infections. Though the condition still does not have any known cure, antiretroviral therapy has been known to slow down the virus.

Bertiz also urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to deliver “highly improved support” to the growing number of OFWs with HIV, as mandated by the new AIDS Prevention and Control Law that took effect on Jan. 25.

He said the law mandates the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), together with other agencies, to develop a program to provide stigma-free comprehensive reintegration, care and support for OFWs with HIV.

“Under the law, economic, social and medi- cal support is to be extended to all OFWs, regardless of employment status and stage in the migration process,” he said.

The law also requires all overseas-bound Filipino workers as well as Philippine government staff for foreign posting to undergo a seminar on the causes, manner of prevention and impact of HIV and AIDS, prior to certification for deployment or assignment, according to Bertiz.

“The preventive education seminar is to be provided for free and at no cost to OFWs or to the staff concerned,” he said.