Early detection is key to managing HIV—DOH
By Caren Grace C. Carbonell | January 3, 2026
SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) — The Department of Health (DOH) is urging vulnerable groups to undergo Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening to prevent Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Medical Officer IV Rheuel Bobis of the DOH Ilocos Center for Health Development (CHD) noted that early diagnosis is vital for managing HIV. It allows for prompt antiretroviral therapy (ART) to prevent the immune system from weakening.
“It is important for every individual to know their HIV status, especially the most vulnerable population, including sexually active individuals and sex workers,” Bobis said over an episode of the Philippine Information Agency’s Kapihan sa Ilocos.
HIV is transmitted through unprotected sex, sharing needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy or birth. Rarely, it is spread through blood transfusions. Untreated HIV can lead to severe infections, cancer, or death.
Free screening is available at social hygiene clinics, government hospitals, and rural health units. The government also conducts community-based screening.
Bobis emphasized that treatment protects the patient’s health and prevents virus transmission.
“When a person living with HIV (PLHIV) religiously takes the anti-retroviral pills, it reduces the virus in the body, which can gradually make it undetectable and no longer transmissible,” he said.
The DOH also offers free consultations and laboratory tests covered by PhilHealth.
Furthermore, the department stressed that raising awareness and addressing stigma will encourage more people to get tested and stay in treatment.
In the Ilocos Region, 4,256 HIV cases were reported from 1984 to May 2025. This includes individuals under 15 years old, with 279 new cases recorded this year alone. (CCMT/CGRCC, PIA Region 1)
Source: Department of Health (DOH) - Philippine Information Agency
https://pia.gov.ph/news/early-detection-is-key-to-managing-hiv-doh/
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