By R. G.
Antonet Go
ZAMBOANGA
CITY -- The Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) treatment hub has registered
400 People Living with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (PLHIV) from 2008 until
2018.
This was
bared on Saturday by Dr. Afdal Kunting, ZCMC public affairs director, who said
that of the total number, 283 are undergoing treatment with anti-retroviral
drugs for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV).
Kunting
said that 62 of the 400 have died while 47 have transferred to other treatment
hubs and the remaining eight did not return to get their laboratory results.
Kunting
said the youngest of the PLHIV is 17 and the oldest is 79. He said these
patients are from Zamboanga Peninsula and the nearby provinces of Basilan, Sulu
and Tawi-Tawi, which are under the political jurisdiction of the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
He also
called on residents, especially those with risky sexual behavior, to
voluntarily submit themselves for HIV testing.
“If you
have the risk factor or risky behavior, have yourself tested. There are
medications that control HIV and you can be productive members of the society,”
Kunting said.
The HIV
testing is done through blood samples and once positive, it will be referred to
San Lazaro Hospital for confirmatory testing.
Kunting
said those found positive with HIV are given anti-retroviral drugs that must be
taken daily to suppress the virus.
He added
that PLHIV can no longer transmit the virus if and when the viral level is
already in its lowest or undetectable level. (PNA)
