PRESIDENT Duterte recently signed Republic Act 11166 or the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act of 2018 to strength government response to the growing number of Human Immunodeficiency Virus – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-AIDS) cases in the country.
A number of young people are catching HIV due to ignorance. Yes, ignorance is a major driver of HIV infection among the youth now, resulting to the increasing number of cases. What is alarming is that 30 percent of young people believe there is cure for AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), as revealed by the 2013 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality. Around 70 percent of the youth sector has this so-called “Superman Syndrome” which predisposes them to think they are insusceptible to the infection. On the other hand, latest updates from Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund) showed that the number of youth who have HIV/AIDS tripled in the past three years.
Here’s the hard reality: HIV/AIDS along with teenage pregnancy are two of the adolescence and sexual reproductive concerns considered as defining issues of this generation. Some even compare the concern on HIV/AIDS with a “complicated” relationship status on social media platform Facebook because the infection affects the wellness and well-being of the youth.
According to the National Youth Commission (NYC), out of 28 Filipinos infected with HIV, 24 or 26 are youth; 62 percent of new infections are among 15 to 24 years old while 85 percent of the new infections are between 15 to 30 years old.
The development of appropriate information will enable young people to make responsible decisions and conduct suitable behavior. Yes, an improved sex education program could help control the spread of the infection, especially among the youth. Lowering the age to 15 years when Filipinos may seek free HIV testing at public health centers would do much, too, in controlling the spread of HIV.
Young people are smart. What we need to do is provide them with appropriate information to prevent them from engaging in risqué behavior.
