Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is worried that the rising HIV-AIDS cases in the Philippines could soon turn epidemic. With the recent rate of infection, Santiago estimates that by 2015, HIV-AIDS cases could reach a staggering 6,900 additional cases.
Government, says Santiago, should provide at least 60 million pesos for the purchase of anti-retroviral treatment to prolong the lifespans of these infected Filipinos.
As of October, 200 new cases were reported. This adds to the already alarming number of 7,000 plus since the very first case of the disease was reported in January of 1984.
This forced the Department of Health to refocus their efforts, from targetting female sex workers, to homosexual cases. The DOH says homosexual contact has increased and has led to a sharp rise of HIV-AIDS cases. Before, AIDS spread thru heterosexual contact. Now, homosexual contact and infection through illegal drug use have risen.
Curiously though, the DOH says that many of these reported cases of HIV-AIDS infection were people who had sexual contact with strangers through Facebook. And these contacts are mostly between similar sexes.
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