The RED Star Clinic at DRMC based in Apokon, City of Tagum can provide medical intervention to PHIV, and can even extend them the psycho-social component of assisting them to address their fears, Osabel said.
Dr. Arnel Florendo also assured PHIV of the “professionalized” manner of assisting the PHIV for them to live a normal life.
“It is not a death sentence; mangayo land jud mo ug tabang; you just have to ask for help,” Florendo said stressing that the HIV detection process starts when the person “voluntarily” submits to HIV screening.
Osabel and Florendo went out of their way to personally wage for a strengthened community education and information campaign on HIV and AIDS, having currently noted the increase in number of HIV cases locally.
Citing the national statistics, Osabel said that the March 2023 HIV registry in the country noted a 24 HIV cases per day, noting that this trend is “alarming” because the age range gets younger at 15 to 24 years old.
She said “we now have HIV cases of as young as 15 years old” who gets infected through sexual transmission .
Meanwhile, Florendo revealed that in Davao Region, the City of Tagum ranks next to Davao City in terms of highest number HIV cases. (JDA/PIA Davao del Norte)
