We spent weeks and months searching our brains for the right hashtag for our HIV advocacy in Cebu. We were treatment hub staff, social hygiene clinics, government employees, medical student leaders, faculty HIV coordinators, chiefs of hospitals, community-based organizations, and patient support groups. WHat we had in common was that we were all patient advocates.
We advocate increase HIV knowledge and awareness of HIV as a public health issue relevant enough for discussion.
We advocate normalization of HIV counseling and testing as the gateway to treatment, care, support and prevention of HIV.
We advocate reduction of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.
There are a lot of efforts organized to achieve all these things. There have been a lot of organizations popping up aiming to talk about HIV. What we need is to unify all these efforts so that we have one concentrated energy towards one health-related goal of ending HIV in Cebu and in the Philippines.
What have we achieved?
We have conducted a caravan of HIV Forums for Medical Students in the six medical schools in Cebu.
Cebu Doctors' University College of Medicine
September 4, 2018
#TOUCHMOVE Think Before You Play was an HIV Forum for Medical Students conducted at the CDU auditorium with the whole population of medical students attending from Level I to Level IV. September 4, 2018 being a holiday, students were free to participate in the lectures during the morning with an unconference to conclude the morning session, get free HIV counseling and testing from the AIDvocates and Mandaue City Social Hygiene Clinic, then participate in parallel sessions and focused group discussions in the afternoon. There was also signing of a wall of commitment, infomercial contest and poster-making contest with the theme of targeting enhanced awareness and control of HIV in Cebu.
Southwestern University-PHINMA College of Medicine
September 28, 2018
University of the Visayas Gullas College of Medicine
September 29, 2018
Cebu Institute of Medicine
October 6, 2018
Matias H Aznar Memorial College of Medicine
October 20, 2018
University of Cebu School of Medicine
October 27, 2018
We are KAAMBAG: together we TEACH... #TEACHCEBU
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