Urgent action needed as HIV cases continue to rise among the youth

It’s rarely discussed but the increasing cases of young people contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an issue that the Department of Health (DOH) wants to address promptly.

In Maki Pulido’s report on “24 Oras,” Wednesday, Gina (not her real name), shared that she was 13 years old when she first had sexual intercourse, most of the time she doesn’t use protection.

The use of dating apps and social media helps speed up her “transactions.”

“Once you chat someone na you’re willing to have sex with them as long as nagkasundo kayo na makikipag sex ka boom meron na agad mangyayari,” she shared.

[Once you chat with someone and you're willing to have sex with them, as long as you both agree to have sex, boom, it will happen immediately.]

She was 17 years old when she tested positive for HIV. While she knows what HIV is, since she doesn’t have a deeper and proper understanding of the virus, she doesn’t use protection when having sexual intercourse.

“Alam ko nakakahawa na sakit pero hindi ako ganun ka-aware na in a snap kung kanino ako makikipag-sex makukuha ko ‘yung sakit na ‘yun,” she explained.

[I know that it's a contagious disease, but I'm not that aware that in a snap, I could get that disease from whoever I have sex with.]

The DOH is alarmed because of the increasing cases of the youth contracting HIV.

From the 50 new cases being recorded every day, almost half are aged around 15 to 24 years old only. This translates to around 2,235 cases from January to May 2023, an increase from the same period in 2022.

“There should be a lot of education that some diseases can be transmitted through risky behavior,” said DOH secretary Ted Herbosa.

Aside from proper education and information dissemination, advocate Kael Mata of Positibong Pasagueño, Inc., underlines the importance of giving the youth access to condoms without being judged.

“Kung gusto talaga nilang makipag-sex, they will do that. So instead of stopping them why not give them opportunity or access to protect themselves,” he said.

[If they really want to have sex, they will do that. So instead of stopping them, why not give them the opportunity or access to protect themselves?]

—CACM, GMA Integrated News