Mediaboss Marketing

Due to the increasing number of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)-AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) cases in the country, a lawmaker is calling on Congress to review the Philippine AIDS Prevention Control Act of 1998.

Gabriela party-list Rep. Luz Ilagan said Congress should take a second look at Republic Act 8504, attributing its weak implementation to the rising incidence of the global killer disease.

That is what we have been warning all along. Unless the government is serious about sexuality education, massive information campaign, these numbers will continue to rise, she said in an interview.

The AIDS law should be reviewed.The implementation is weak, she pointed out.

The Department of Healths (DOH) Philippine HIV and AIDS Registry recorded a total of 491 HIV/AIDS cases in October 2013, 66 percent higher than the 295 cases in October 2012. This is the highest ever recorded in a month in the country.

Ilagan even asked the DOH to ensure that health centers should have the necessary supplies, including the much-needed retrovirals.

More importantly, supplies should be available in health centers. The DOH should have budget for retrovirals, she said.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, who expressed his readiness to undergo HIV-AIDS examination said it would be better if countrys leaders, including lawmakers would submit themselves to a voluntary HIV-AIDS testing among national leaders to raise awareness against the fast and furious type of epidemic.

It is a good idea if the national leaders would undergo voluntary HIV-AIDS testing. I think its just an add on in a regular blood test, so pagnagpa-regular check up papagawa din [so if you go on a regular check up, you can always have an HIV test], he said in an interview.

RA 8504 or the Philippine AIDS Prevention Control Act of 1998 does not provide the mandatory HIV-AIDS testing.

Read the rest here:
Review of AIDS law urged