QC reports hike in HIV cases

June 9 ------ THE Quezon City government reported an increase in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases from January to March this year. It also noted that 35 percent of the cases were from youths 15-24 years old. Mayor Joy Belmonte said the City Health Department (CHD) has made sure that the patients were receiving the treatment they needed in the city's Social Hygiene Clinics.

Belmonte said they have recorded 421 new HIV diagnoses from January to March 2025, marking a 7.7 percent increase compared to the 391 cases during the same period in 2024. "The 35 percent of 149 of those diagnosed with HIV this year are among the young key population, or ages between 15 and 24 years old, 40 percent of whom are students," she said.

The mayor told The Manila Times the city government remained at the forefront of the epidemic response, proving that committed local leadership, accessible services, and strong community involvement can make all the difference amid the 500 percent increase in national HIV and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) cases reported by the Department of Health. Belmonte said her administration has intensified HIV testing, as shown by records over the past three years. From January to May, over 21,000 people were tested — 16.7 percent more than in the same period in 2024, 22.5 percent more than in 2023, and 60 percent more than in 2022, she said.

City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit head Rolando Cruz said the city has been strengthening its testing capacities "so that we will be able to find those with HIV and link them to treatment." "Because more tests mean more people are aware of their status, and that allows us to respond faster. The first step in fighting any epidemic is information," he added.

Ensuring accessible and equitable health services for all, Belmonte said the city government has put up Social Hygiene and Sundown Clinics in five of its six districts and will soon open "Klinika Talipapa" in District 6, completing the citywide network in 2026. The clinics offer free and confidential services such as HIV and AIDS testing, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), counseling, as well as testing and treatment for other sexually transmitted infections. These facilities open beyond regular clinic hours, ensuring accessibility and privacy even to those who work long or irregular shifts.

Source: manilatimes.net