ANGELES CITY, Pampanga—Health authorities here are tracing at least 38 people allegedly diagnosed with Human Immunodeficiency Virus mostly members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) and women.
“We are keeping a close watch on them,” Dr. Hernan Tulod of the City Health Office told reporters during Kapihan, a regular monthly forum with local journalists held at the Imerex Hotel.
He said the watchlist included 17 women, 19 transgenders or male having sexual relations with male and two males.
“These are the persons who voluntarily underwent HIV tests,” Tulod said, adding not all carriers are sex workers in the entertainment red light district.
Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan cited health records of 35 cases in 2013 and 38 last year.
“We have their names and location,” he said, adding that health officials have launched sustain education and awareness campaign to help curb HIV cases.
Barangay Balibago Chairman Rodelio Mamac said the entertainment sector has been lined for educational campaigns on HIV, AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).
“We are encouraging entertainers and foreign guests to always practice safe sex,” said Mamac over the phone, adding that the need to prevent unwanted pregnancies and promote safe sex.
The entertainment district has about 12,000 workers including hospitality girls, waiters and staff, he said.
Delegates of the Senior Officials Ministerial of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit are expected to spend leisure and recreation in fun houses along the Fields Avenue, the center of entertainment in Central Luzon.
Mamac said walk-in sex workers who are regularly being examined by health workers at the Social Hygiene and Wellness Center are offered free condoms.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Barry Gutierrez on Wednesday urged Aquino administration to take an “aggressive” response to mounting cases of HIV cases.
“Since 1984, we now have over 22,000 Filipinos living with an HIV diagnosis and with new infection in every one and a half hour in the year 2013 that number is rapidly growing,” he said.