US strongly committed to support PH in fight vs HIV/AIDS —official

US President Joe Biden's Global AIDS coordinator Dr. John Nkengasong said Washington is strongly committed to support the Philippines' efforts to fight the deadly disease as he stressed that addressing HIV/AIDS is a key priority of the US government.

Nkengasong also lauded the Philippines, which he called a "very important" partner of the US in the region in fighting HIV/AIDS, for its commitment to combat the disease "at the highest level."

"I'm very impressed by the political leadership that I found here," said Nkengasong, who granted an interview in Manila with three Filipino journalists, including GMA News Online, over the weekend.

The American-Cameroonian envoy praised President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for highlighting HIV/AIDS in his 2023 State of the Nation Address (SONA) and for noting that combating the disease is an important policy for his administration.

Nkengasong, a respected virologist and the first person of African origin to hold the post to lead the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), said America will continue to develop and fund programs aligned with the country's needs in terms of addressing AIDS.

"I am very encouraged that we have a country that is ready to partner with us, the United States, and to continue the fight against HIV AIDS," said Nkengasong, inaugural director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The Philippines continues to exercise the right leadership to fight a pandemic. It is not every day that a President in his state of the nation address point to a specific disease like TB and HIV and characterize that as alarming. I give a lot of credit to President Marcos for doing that," he said.

Launched by former US President George W. Bush in 2003, PEPFAR has been credited with helping save more than 20 million lives worldwide.

In the Philippines, Nkengasong said PEPFAR intends to further strengthen the capacity of Philippine health officials and local health facilities to better manage and curb HIV/AIDS.

He also strongly pushed for the active involvement of the youth and other sectors in spreading awareness in their communities, particularly through social media platforms.

The use of technology, Nkengasong said, is vital in advancing and promoting awareness.

As he capped his meeting in Manila, Nkengasong said he was pleased with the outcome of his discussions with Philippine officials and other stakeholders in finding the best pathway forward.

"To solve the problem, you have to acknowledge that there is a problem. And the government is acknowledging that," he said.

"HIV/AIDS is a very clever virus. It is a very silent virus. It is a common threat to us regardless of where you are in the world." —KBK, GMA Integrated News