Camarines Sur Organizes AIDS Council, Intensifies Infection Prevention

CADLAN, Pili, Camarines Sur, May 22 2011(PIA) -- Camarines Sur provincial government has recently created the Provincial AIDS Awareness, Prevention and Control Council to address the threat of AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), envisioning a province free of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Gov. LRay Villafuerte and the provincial legislative body fully support the program by approving a provincial ordinance adopting the creation of the council and measures in pursuit of the goals of the program.

Said undertaking is also in concurrence with a provision in the Philippine Constitution emphasizing the protection and promotion of the right to health of the people.

Republic Act 8504 or the “Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998” also mandates that “all Local Government Units shall conduct an educational and information campaign on HIV/AIDS: and in coordination and in cooperation with concerned government agencies, non-government organizations, persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS and groups most at risk of HIV infections, shall provide community-based HIV/AIDS prevention and care services.”

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) meanwhile also jointly issued a memorandum circular to provide guidelines in the formation of regional AIDS assistance teams or RAATS and strengthening the interface and coordination among their offices in the complementation of their campaign against HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Alan Lucañas, regional STI/ HIV AIDS coordinator of the Department of Health (DOH) Bicol, revealed during the AIDS council meeting held here on May 17, that 48 cases of HIV/AIDS have been recorded in the Bicol Region, 21 of them coming from Camarines Sur.

The data from the National Epidemiology Center also bared that out of the 48 cases, seven has full blown AIDS, six have already died, and the remaining one is still battling the disease.

The Provincial AIDS Council will be composed of various government agencies heading various committees-- with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Camarines Sur and Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster sa Pilipinas or KBP leading the Information and Education Committee and DOH leading the Health Care and Support Service Committee.

DILG will lead the Coordination and Networking Committee and the Provincial Health Office for the Monitoring and Surveillance.

The council intends to mitigate the spread of HIV/AIDS and raise the awareness of the populace on how to prevent the occurrence of new HIV infections by ensuring access to HIV Treatment and accurate information. (MAL/LSM, PIA Camarines Sur)