A COMMUNITY center for people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Aids) in Davao City has been built to provide free services for them.
Dr. Ronivin G. Pagtakhan, founder and executive director of Jeffeyri by LoveYourself Inc., said that their new hub located on Loyola Street, Obrero, Davao City, will offer services to all individuals needing HIV/Aids services in the city.
Currently, the hub, which is the first in the city and the fifth in Mindanao, caters to about 50 people living with HIV/Aids.
Pagtakhan said during a panel interview on Friday morning, July 12, 2024, at Park Inn by Radisson Davao, that they can cater to about 30 to 50 individuals daily.
“Libre ang condom, libre ang lubricants, libre ang PrEP at tsaka sa mga healthcare providers libre ngayon ang PEP (We provide free condoms, free lubricants, free PrEP, and healthcare providers offer free PEP),” he said.
He said that while HIV/Aids cases are declining in other countries, the Philippines is not seeing the same decrease. He added that the Philippines records about 41 new cases daily.
As of 2023, there are approximately 40,000 Filipinos living with HIV/Aids based on data from the Department of Health (DOH).
Pagtakhan attributed the increased number of cases to widespread testing in the Philippines. Although many people have undergone HIV/Aids testing, he said they are encouraging every individual to get tested.
Dr. Jordana Ramiterre, head of the city's Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC), said that in Davao City alone, the City Health Office (CHO) has recorded 38 new cases of people living with HIV/Aids (PLHIV/Aids) as of January 2024.
“As a treatment hub, feel na feel po namin yung increasing number of cases and dumadami rin talaga rin yung patients that we take care of kasi lifetime po yung treatment natin (As a treatment hub, we really feel the increasing number of cases and the growing number of patients that we are taking care of since the treatment requires a lifetime commitment),” she said.
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach expressed that the new hub offers free services to Dabawenyos. Wurtzbach shared that the services offered by Jeffeyri include comprehensive combination prevention services. These services encompass a range of preventive measures, such as education, regular free testing, access to necessary medications like PrEP and PEP, and more.
“This is part of our strategy to prevent HIV transmission. Additionally, we advocate for treatment as prevention ensuring those diagnosed with HIV receive the care that they need to stay healthy and prevent transmission,” she said.
Those who wish to avail themselves of the services of Jeffeyri by LoveYourself Inc. can walk in or schedule their visits online. RGP
