THE Department of Health discarded more than 500 blood units in 2016 because they were found to be tainted with the human immunodeficiency virus, according to official government data.
Based on the December 2016 report of the HIV and AIDS Registry of the Philippines, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine confirmed that a total of 550 blood units tested positive for HIV last year.
“These were confirmed HIV-positive blood units, not blood donors. It is possible that one donor will donate more than one blood unit,” said the HARP report.
The month of August had the highest number of HIV-tainted blood units with 71, while February had the lowest with only 25. In December alone, 53 blood units were confirmed positive for HIV.
The 2016 figure is higher than in 2015, when 456 blood units were discarded for being tainted with HIV.
In a related development, Human Rights Watch urged the DoH to implement its Comprehensive Sexuality Education program to stem the transmission of HIV among the youth.
Human Rights Watch country researcher Carlos Conde said the government needs to address this HIV crisis, but arguments that ignore science will only increase the likelihood of HIV transmissions among young Filipinos.
“It’s up to the Department of Health to override these barriers to condom access and for the Department of Education to implement its long-delayed Comprehensive Sexuality Education program, which includes modules on safer sex education and HIV prevention,” Conde said.
“Until that happens, young people will continue to be at needless risk of HIV infection,” said Conde.
The Department of Education this week rejected a proposal to distribute condoms in public high schools with Education Secretary Leonor Briones saying children under 18 need parental consent to receive condoms and other contraceptive products.
But Conde said this contradicts Briones’ December 2016 announcement that condom distribution would proceed in 2017.
“Briones’ flip-flop is consistent with the education department’s inadequate response to the HIV crisis, despite efforts by some teachers to address the dangerous absence of HIV prevention education in schools,” said Conde.
Conde said previous education secretaries have mostly ignored the issue, despite official data indicating the Philippines has one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the Asia-Pacific region.
Conde said data also shows that Filipino adolescents—particularly men who have sex with men—have some of the fastest growth rates in new infections.
“The derailment of the condom distribution plan also reflects the efforts of conservative lawmakers, led by Senator Vicente Sotto III,” said Conde.
Conde noted that Sotto has argued that condom distribution in high schools only encourages students to “indulge in sex,” despite compelling evidence to the contrary.
Conde said the Catholic Church has also relentlessly attacked the proposal to make condoms available in high schools.