UNAIDS, WHO support DOH's call for immediate action to combat rising HIV cases

The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, July 11 expressed their support for the Department of Health’s (DOH) call to address the rising number of HIV cases and its request for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sign an executive order declaring HIV a high-priority health concern.

- By ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

In a statement, the two UN agencies cited that the Philippines is experiencing the “fastest-growing” number of HIV cases in the Asia-Pacific region, with new cases rising by 550 percent, from 4,400 in 2010 to 29,600 in 2024.

“The numbers paint a stark picture that demands our immediate attention and coordinated action across all levels of government and society,” UNAIDS Country Director Dr. Louie Ocampo said.

“We cannot afford to treat HIV as a health sector issue alone. It requires a whole-of-government, whole-of-society response,” he added.

As of March 2025, an estimated 252,800 Filipinos are living with HIV, but only 139,610 (55 percent) have been diagnosed.