BACOLOD City – The City Health Office (CHO) is urging the public to undergo Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) anti-body testing at no cost.
Dr. Babylin Baliguas-Drilon, CHO Social Hygiene Clinic chief, said around 490 confirmed HIV-positive persons were recorded in Bacolod City. The data were obtained as of January 2019 by the Department of Health’s Epidemiology Bureau.
“Know your status, it’s free,” Drilon said urging the residents to avail themselves of the anti-body testing.
Last 2018, CHO conducted anti-body tests to 1,113 persons where 17 were found to be HIV positive.
“The anti-body testing costs P750 in a private hospital, P350 in a government medical clinic but is free here at CHO,” she reiterated.
She explained that persons having multiple sexual partners and those engaging in sex without condom or they may use it incorrectly are prone from acquiring HIV.
“Infected people are mostly homosexuals; males having sex with males; persons having sex with both males and females; and males having sex with females or females having sex with males,” Drilon said.
CHO’s Social Hygiene Clinic has been coordinating with the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City where patients infected by HIV are being referred and they can avail themselves of medical services.
“Parents play a crucial role in HIV prevention by giving guidance to their children and inculcating values such as purity, godliness and by monitoring their children’s exposure to the social media,” Drilon stressed. (With a report from PIA/PN)
