Press Release | 17 May 2024

The Department of Health (DOH), through the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) and the San Lazaro Hospital National Reference Laboratory – Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Cooperative Central Laboratory (NRL-SACCL) joins the world for the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial (IACM) this 2024. The IACM is an annual event observed worldwide on the third Sunday of May, to honor the memories of the many lives lost to AIDS, and also to honor those dedicated to helping people living with and affected by HIV. It will be on May 19, 2024.

Focusing on 2024, from January to March there were 3,410 newly diagnosed cases, with 82 reported deaths. Of these newly diagnosed cases, ages ranged from less than 1 year old to 66 years old with a median of 28; eight out of ten (81%) were MSM. In the month of March 2024 alone, there were 1,224 newly diagnosed cases with 12 reported deaths. Ages of newly diagnosed cases for March 2024 ranged from less than 1 to 55 years old, with a median age of 28 years. Close to half (46%) of the new cases for March 2024 were aged 25-34 years old, while almost a third (31%) were among youth aged 15-24 years old.

Given current conditions, projections modeled through the AIDS Epidemic Model (AEM) and Spectrum suggest a continued rise, with HIV new infections expected to reach 36,700 by 2030, a year when supposedly the global target for ending AIDS is achieved. Additionally, the projected number of Filipinos living with HIV may increase significantly by 2030, from an estimated 215,400 in 2024 to 401,700, should there be no improvement in the services for HIV/AIDS prevention in general and PLHIV support in particular.

“Seeking help at general primary care facilities linked to and coordinating with HIV treatment hubs can make a significant difference in managing the disease and improving the quality of life for people living with and affected by HIV,” said Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa. “Resilient and sustainable systems for health can and should serve all peoples for all health conditions – starting with the vulnerable,” added Sec. Herbosa.

The theme for this year’s IACM is “Put People First: Kandila ng Pagkalinga, Liwanag ng Pag-Asa.” It reaffirms stakeholders’ commitment to prioritizing the well-being and rights of people living with HIV and AIDS. There are currently two hundred twenty-four (224) treatment hubs and primary HIV care facilities nationwide as of May 2024.

“The data we have shows the way for what we do. Better health literacy including age- and culture-appropriate information and commodities for safe sex, routine HIV testing at primary care, and early access to antiretrovirals are clear directions to take,” said Sec. Herbosa. “The best remembrance we can do for IACM is to gather the light of our collective talents and resources, and scatter this light to scale up evidence-based solutions to our problems in HIV/AIDS. We can create a safer and healthier future together, tungo sa Bagong Pilipinas, kung saan Bawat Buhay Mahalaga,” the health chief concluded.