Human immunodeficiency virus cases (HIV) infection in the Philippines The number of infections has increased sixfold in 14 years, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), highlighting the need to accelerate progress in disease prevention.
At a side event at the 76th WHO Regional Commission for the Western Pacific, co-hosted by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), it was noted that three countries – Fiji, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea – are experiencing a “rapid increase” in new HIV infections.
The Philippines, long considered to have the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the Western Pacific, saw new infections increase by 562 percent from 2010 to 2024.
The WHO said in a press release on Wednesday that the increase in HIV infections is “primarily concentrated among young men who have sex with men” and is linked to “chemsex behavior” – drug use before and during sex.
Delays in diagnosis and low uptake of antiretroviral treatment also contribute to the continued rise in HIV infections in the country. According to the WHO, antiretroviral treatment coverage among people living with HIV in the Philippines is estimated to be 40% in 2024.
“HIV remains a priority public health challenge in the Western Pacific region,” the report said. “The region is facing a prevention crisis, with the overall number of new infections decreasing by only 11 percent since 2010.”
WHO said regional health security in the Western Pacific region was “further compromised” by rising HIV infections in countries such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.
The report also stressed that “the overlap between HIV and drug use requires urgent attention,” noting that a lack of harm reduction services, along with punitive drug laws, are hampering effective responses to drug use.
Recommendations
To address the rising number of people infected with HIV, they recommended tackling the stigma and discrimination that continues to prevent people from getting tested, improving access to essential services and treatment, and including HIV in universal health coverage.
WHO also noted the importance of providing people without HIV with the option of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the use of antiretroviral drugs to reduce the risk of HIV infection. INQ
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