By Judy Quiros
The number of HIV cases in Davao City has increased this year compared to previous year, according Dr. Jing Ramiterre of the reproductive health and wellness center of the City Health Office (CHO) here.
Ramiterre, in a press forum on Tuesday, said Davao City for this year posted 47 cases of HIV compared to last year’s 39. Of the 47 cases this year, 10 were dead and 37 were still living.
In
Mindanao, she said as of October this year, there were 78 registered cases of HIV, 60 percent of which was from Davao City, and majority of those infected were males.
Of the infected males, most were homosexuals and heterosexuals, Ramiterre said.
Ages of the victims ranged from 20 to 35.
Ramiterre said 98 percent of the mode of transmission of the HIV was sexual in nature.
She said it’s sad to note that the stigmas on HIV infected persons were still high. For the homosexuals, the stigma is double because they are still hounded by the effects of gender problem.
Alma Mondragon of Alagad Mindanao said that “the gender problem confronting them (homosexuals) is a factor of not accessing to medical services.â€
Ramiterre and Mondragon are one in saying there is still a need to step up the implementation of the provisions laid down under the 2002 Davao City Aids Ordinance, particularly on information and dissemination campaign and on the issue of non-discrimination of those infected.
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