by T. Villavert

Iloilo City (18 November) -- The Department of Health, Center for Health and Development Western Visayas through multi-sectoral collaboration has helped in empowering People Living with HIV (PLHIV).

Ms. Charity Perea, Regional STI Coordinator of the Department of Health, Region 6 empowerment of PLHIV means creating a supportive environment that is open, accepting and non-discriminatory that enables disclosure of PLHIVs, accelerate HIV and AIDS service and interventions, and scale-up national responses to achieve the goal of universal access to prevention, care and support services.

Perea said that people living with HIV/AIDS need to be cared for, because they are part of the society and are just victims of circumstances.

She said stigma and discrimination are common reactions to certain diseases such as HIV/AIDS, which make it difficult for PLHIV to seek help.

From 1994 to September 2009, Western Visayas has recorded some eighty-five (85) Persons Living with HIV, said Ms. Charity Perea, Regional STI Coordinator of the Department of Health, Region 6.

Out of that figure 27 have died, Ms. Perea said emphasizing that "we should not be alarmed with the coming out into the open of these persons. It shows that the government’s advocacy to reach out for them is gaining ground".

Perea said that HIV refers to to the virus that destroys the human body’s natural defense against any disease or infection, while AIDS refers to the state or condition when the body manifests signs and symptoms of any disease because its immune system has made deficient or destroyed by HIV.

She said that empowering and organizing PLHIV in Western Visayas started in 2002. It is one major strategy adapted by CHD Western Visayas to prevent and control Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), HIV and AIDS, decrease stigma and discrimination, accelerate and harmonize local responses.

With our local initiatives, Perea said, there are now increased meaningful participation of PLHIV through organizing and strengthening their support groups- CROSSBREEDS in Negros Occidental, and EMPOWERED in Panay Island and Guimaras.

The other results of the local initiatives are: organization of the Western Visayas Multi-Sectoral Partnership for Health which facilitated the mapping of resources for treatment, care and support opportunities for PHILV utilizing exisiting government systems, funds and structure; increased reach of PLHIVs, their family members and significant others for care and support activities for trainings on Basic HIV/AIDS, Home-based care, Anti-Retroviral (ARV) Literacy, Peer Education, Treatment, Care and Support, and Voluntary Counseling and Testing.