THE REPRODUCTIVE Health and Wellness Center (RHWC)- Davao said on Thursday that there are 117 confirmed cases of HIV patients from January-May 2025.
Karla Mae Sepulveda-Edjic, a nurse at the RHWC, said the record reflects not only Davao City residents but also those who are coming from outside the city.
The RHWC, under the Davao City Health Office, records clients coming from nearby provinces who seek their help instead of their respective municipal health offices due to fear of stigma.
But for Davao city, the Department of Health (DOH) Davao recorded 55 confirmed cases in January 2025 alone.
The DOH-Davao data is from the three treatment centers in the city, including the Davao Doctors Hospital and the Southern Philippines Medical Center.
Male patients outnumber the females as far as the confirmed cases are concerned, and male-to-male is the most common mode of transmission.
RHWC head Dr. Jordana Ramiterre attributed the rising cases to hesitancy in taking tests due to the fear of being labelled as “HIV-positive.” In 2021, the treatment center introduced pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP)- a medication that, when taken as prescribed, can prevent HIV infection.
“For several years cases are still rising though we have been doing the same thing, with the education and promotion, though we have Prep right now, the challenge is ang pag access ng services, many are still afraid,” Ramiterre said.
The RHWC registered only about 1,000 who have accessed PREP, focused on the male to male and transgenders.
