The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) continues to make the spotlight in Iloilo as case continue to rise. The Department of Health reports that 38 Filipinos are newly diagnosed with HIV every day. This number is not comforting knowing that the cases continue to show younger and younger age demographics of new diagnosis.

The Department of Health (DOH) and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) like the Family Planning Organizations of the Philippines (FPOP) have been advocating for the awareness, support, protection, care and treatment of people living with HIV (PLHIV) ever since the first case in Iloilo the early 1990s.

My personal issue with how the conversation around HIV is formulated is that people continue to make the same mistakes. This article focuses on the fundamental part of the acronym H.I.V. When advocates from DOH and FPOP begin any lecture on HIV and AIDS, the first few slides would always contain a description of the acronym and the possible modes of transmission.

The ONLY mode of transmission of this virus, is through careless human contact either through unprotected penetrative sex or through the transmission of infected blood through syringes and other medical instruments or process. HIV cannot be transmitted through urine, through eating a fruit, through sharing eating utensils, or through a mosquito bite. It is transited through human contact or transfusion of infected blood from another human being.

Other modes of transmission include mother-to-child transmission during delivery, birth and breastfeeding. However, this mode of transmission would also be a result of a girl or woman engaging (whether consciously or unconsciously) in unprotected penetrative sex with a man or has used infected syringes for whatever reason.

It is human nature to engage in sexual intercourse as our bodies and minds are programmed to reproduce, feel pleasure and engage in relationships. It is human nature to seek for pleasure. It is human nature to engage in emotional and sexual relationships with someone of the same or opposite sex. Human nature is to seek earthly pleasurable and reproductive acts. But is it also human nature to be careless of our bodies? Or is the issue beyond just the fact that humans are sexual beings?

In most cases, HIV transmission through unprotected penetrative sex is caused by not using a condom. We cannot of course discount the fact that in cases of sexual harassment and rape, HIV transmission in those cases are unpreventable. The abuse of alcohol and drugs leading to unconscious and non-consensual penetrative sex is also a probable cause of unpreventable HIV transmission.

Reviewing on the preventive measures in HIV transmission, DOH and FPOP advocates have playfully coined “ABCDE”. This means (1) Abstinence, (2) Be mutually faithful to your partner, (3) Consistent and correct condom use, (4) Don’t abuse drugs or alcohol and don’t use infected syringes, and (5) Early education and testing. These preventive measures begin by telling everyone abstaining sex.

Although abstinence would be the most effective preventive measure, let us remember that the ‘human’ is sexual, hence, moving to letter “B” would be more appealing. Being mutually faithful to your partner is a matter of how a standard romantic relationship should be. One person in a consensual, life affirming and loving relationship with another, regardless of gender or sex. If everyone remains in monogamous relationships (meaning having only one partner), then HIV transmission would significantly decrease. However, to assume that everyone is in an romantic relationship alone is problematic. This would discredit HIV transmissions that stem from commercial or transactional sex work and those from sexual partners that are not in a romantic relationship.

Since we cannot assure that everyone only has sex with only one other person, we move on to letter “c” which is correct and consistent condom use. This is where our awareness and prevention advocacy should place prime focus on. If condoms are readily available and there is no attached stigma to purchasing or using one, then HIV transmissions would significantly decrease.

Only when the “human” realizes that while pleasure is perfectly fine, one should place prime focus and care to their body which means being actively engaging in preventive measures and being mindful of the virus and other sexually transmitted infections. Also when the “human” realizes that living with HIV is not a shameful and degrading life sentence, we can continue to build inclusive spaces for these communities.

Awareness of early treatment and prevention of transmission is only aspect of the sexual health care movement. We also have to consider the support and protection of the rights of those persons already living with HIV. Discrimination on the basis of HIV status, forceful disclosure of HIV status, and restrictive policies in employment continue to haunt PLHIV community members.

The attached stigma that HIV is a disease only of gay, bisexual and other mem who have sex with men has also prevented a lot of at-risk-populations from seeks health care support. HIV is not a gay disease. Although health statistics evinced increasing male to male sexual transmission of HIV, females are equally at-risk of HIV transmission especially with careless sexual activity.

However, new innovations are underway. In terms of legislation that implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Universal Health Care Act (RA 11223) has been signed. The IRR will assist in the implementation of the UHC Law ensuring holistic health care towards health promotion and preventive care. This includes health care for persons living with HIV and other health services and promotions for the awareness, prevention and support for key affected populations.

The FPOP have also began work on HIV self-testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV transmission but we will leave that for the next Sex Education.

Visit the Rajah Community Center by the Family Planning Organizations of the Philippines beside the University of Iloilo in Iloilo City Proper and learn more about their amazing initiatives.