Senator Sherwin 'Win' Gatchalian on Wednesday said he will pursue a Senate probe on the increasing number of Filipino teenagers who are diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
In a press statement, Gatchalian, who currently seats as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said he is alarmed and saddened that many Filipinos are in great suffering at such a young age.
"Ang nakababahalang balitang ito ay kinakailangan ng mas maigting na pakikipag-ugnayan ng DOH [Department of Health] sa iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno at mga lokal na pamahalaan para ikalat nang husto ang kaalaman tungkol sa sakit at kung paano maiwasan ito," he added.
The statement comes after the DOH reported that its latest HIV/AIDS Registry found that 86 Filipinos, comprising teenagers aged 19 and below, have been diagnosed with HIV in January 2023.
Of the 86 Filipinos diagnosed, the agency's latest HIV/AIDS Registry showed that there were 79 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old and seven children less than 10 years old.
Gatchalian also underscored that there is a need to increase awareness of HIV as findings from the survey conducted by the University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI) showed that the youth awareness of HIV and immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) drastically dropped to 78 percent in 2021 from 85 percent in 2013.
He also noted that HIV and AIDS awareness in 2021 is the lowest record since 1994 when the awareness stood at 95 percent.
“Nais nating tiyakin na sapat ang kaalaman ng ating mga kabataan pagdating sa HIV, lalo na’t maaaring magdulot ito ng pinsala sa kanilang kalusugan at kapakanan. Susuriin natin kung paano natuturuan ang ating mga kabataan upang pangalagaan ang kanilang mga kalusugan,” the Senator further said.
