GUIMBAL, Iloilo City --- A radiologic technologist from Iloilo City who has been living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus for more than seven years, is asking persons living with HIV/AIDS to come out and coordinate with persons or agencies that strictly observe confidentiality to help them.

"Don", 59, whose identity is being withheld by the DAILY STAR, said persons living with HIV/AIDS should seek assistance from government agencies like the Department of Health to avail of their services.

"Don" who spoke before 20 media practitioners from Western Visayas during the HIV-AIDS Reporting Workshop organized by the International Federation of Journalists and National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Saturday and Sunday at Racso's Woodland Resort here, said persons living with HIV/AIDS should not be discriminated against, instead they should be supported and encouraged.

He said persons living with HIV/AIDS should not hide, instead they should come out and help themselves so that the stigma and discrimination caused by the syndrome in the community will be eradicated.

Meanwhile, Charity Yanson Perea, regional coordinator of the Sexually Transmitted Infection, Center for Health and Development in Western Visayas said there is no known cure for HIV/AIDS yet, but there are medical treatments like antiretroviral drugs that slows down the reproduction of HIV that weakens the immune system of the person or persons living with AIDS.

Perea said the HIV/AIDS could be transmitted through body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk by unprotected sex, sharing drug-injecting equipment and from mother to child during birth or breast-feeding. She said HIV-AIDS is not transmitted by casual contact such as hugging, coughing or sneezing, shaking hands, sharing glasses or utensils. The HIV/AIDS could be prevented by abstinence from sexual activity, use of latex condoms, and anti-retroviral treatment, she added.*DMG

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