Opening Remarks for HIV Symposium for International Condom Day

 

Maayong hapon mga ka-AMBAG ug mga ka-TEACHCebu!

Distinguished guests, colleagues, and fellow advocates.

Welcome to today’s HIV symposium!

Ania ka karon for another educational discourse on the essentials of HIV diagnosis, treatment, care, support and prevention as we celebrate International Condom Day.  Along with abstinence, fidelity and pre-exposure prophylaxis, correct and consistent condom use is still one of our effective armamentarium against the spread of HIV.  Since 1990, condoms have averted an estimated 117 million new HIV infections.  Yet, as we lean into 2026, we face a paradox:  as our medical toolkit expands with PrEP and advanced ART, our reliance on the most cost-effective, dual-protection tool we have is wavering.

Ang pagsaulog sa International Condom Day (nga gihimo matag Pebrero 13, usa ka adlaw before Valentine’s Day) importante kayo isip pahinumdom sa pagmatngon sa sexual health.

Ania ang mga rason nganong angay kini saulogon:

1.  STI/HIV Prevention.  Proteksyon batok sa mga sexually transmitted infections.  Ang paggamot og condom mao ang usa sa labing epektibo nga laagi aron malikayan ang pagkatap sa HIV ug uban pang sexually transmitted infections.

2.  Prevention of unplanned pregnancy.  Paglikay sa dili planadong pagmabdos.  Importante kini alang sa family planning ug pagseguro nga andam ang magtiayo kon magkaanak.

3.  Safe Sex.  Responsableng paghigugma.  Isip “adlaw sa mga kasing-kasing” ang International Condom Day nagpahinumdom nga ang tinuod nga paghigugma naglakip sa pagprotektar sa kaugalingon ug sa partner.

4. Breaking Stigma.  Edukasyon sa pag break sa stigms.  Ang pagsaulog niini makatabang sa pag-edukar sa publiko ug pagwagtang sa kaulaw o stigma sa pagpalit ug paggamit og condom.

5.  Accessibility.  Sayon ug dali ra makuha ang condom.  Nay libre nga condom sa mga health centers, city social hygiene clinics ug sa mga HIV treatment hubs.  Ang mga condom dali ra makuha ug barato, naghimo niini nga sayon nga pamaagi sa pag-atiman sa panglawas.

 

Our goal today is RETHINK, REBUILD and RISE.  We must rethink our distribution strategies, rebuild the momentum for barrier protection, and rise above the stigma that still surrounds sexual health.  Let this symposium be the catalyst for a year where protection is not just available, but accessible to every individual, regardless of their zip code or status.

Our theme is "Strengthening Facility-Based HIV Case Finding and Integrated STI and Hepatitis Management" as the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center KAAMBAG Clinic celebrates International Condom Day with our fellow advocates, patients and stakeholders. We have prepared a good program for you with our expert resource persons.  

Dr Noreen Matig-a talks about Screening and Management of STIs to “Stay Safe, Stay Informed: Essential Facts on STI Testing and Care”

Dr Mitzi Inting will lecture on Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Syphilis “The Invisible Trio: Why Safer is always SEXY"

Dr Lui Balbuena of the DOH will talk about the Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS "The CEBU HIV Profile:  From Concentrated Epidemic to Community Awareness"

Dr Jamaica dela Cruz discusses Increased HIV Case Finding “The Default Choice:  How Expanded Opt-Out Screening Increases Case Detection and Reduces Stigma"

Awareness is Key

Control is FREE

CEBU will #StopHIV

AI and the Mental Healthcare Worker

 

This beautiful night sky over Cebu City is my view for tonight as we discuss about the use of AI in mental health over #HealthXPH on Blue Sky.

Stephanie Miaco shared her write up on AI and the [Mental] Healthcare Worker where she explores the use of AI bots and therapy replacement options.  It is about Artificial Intelligence and replacing human empathy.

Focused Effort

One drawback of wearing many hats is that it becomes difficult to focus.  There are a lot of evidence that shows focused effort makes for more success than multi-tasking.

 

Hospital-Related Cyberbashing

I just feel that it is unfair for entitled relatives of patients to pass judgement and rant on social media about the weaknesses of healthcare systems and incompetencies of healthcare workers who provided medical care to their patients to the best of their abilities.  Changes to improve the healthcare system is hardly ever talked about on social media platforms, and yet when patients face poor outcomes, these posts go viral on social media without the slightest hint of being evidence-based.

Ofcourse, we express our condolences and our deepest sympathies to the bereaved family, but there must be a more constructive way to express one's grief instead of tarnishing the reputation of a public hospital just because services are provided free of charge.

Sharing some of the sage advice shared by the #HealthXPH peeps on how to address these issues and concerns, mainly to bring the conversation offline.

 

Let them go

 

Badian-Malabuyoc Medical Mission

The KAAMBAG Clinic HIV Counselots join the Cebu Provincial Government in their Badian-Malabuyoc medical mission where 101 constituents of Malabuyoc and 42 constituents of Badian were successfiully tested for HIV and #knowtheirstatus. 

We trooped to the beach at Basdako to inhale some of the fresh sea breeze to decompress.

 

Family Planning