Amid the alarming rise of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases among the youth, the government has launched a new campaign to promote public awareness about the disease and prevent its spread in the country.
The “Virus Ends With Us” campaign, spearheaded by the National Youth Commission (NYC), includes encouraging parent-children dialogue on sexual health and promoting HIV testing.
NYC chair Aiza Seguerra said the campaign aims to “wipe out the stigma” about HIV with the help of the youth, parents, educators, people living with HIV, and celebrity endorsers.
“We, at the National Youth Commission, believed that there is a need to disseminate the correct information about HIV. Aminin po natin na may iba’t ibang pananaw po tungkol sa HIV at kadalasan ay kinakatakutan o madalas iniiwasan natin ang mga taong positibo dito,” Seguerra said in a Palace news conference.
“Pag narinig pa lang po natin ang salitang ‘virus’ kakaiba na po ang pakiramdam natin. Pero kailangan pong maintindihan ang tamang konteksto tungkol dito, lalo na po ang pamamaraan para po makaiwas,” Seguerra added.
The NYC chair has expressed concern over the spike in number of young Filipinos getting infected with HIV.
(Genalyn Kabiling)
