An evaluation of the HIV/AIDS situation among Filipino Seafarers

Abstract

This study looked into the roles of the government and non-govemment organizations in HIV/AIDS information dissemination and intervention among Filipino Seafarers. This study is relevant because at present, Overseas Filipino Workers are still the leading groups of people who have HIV/AIDS. Out of the 2,410 cases in the Philippines, 821 or 34 percent were OFWs. Though these figures may be slanted due to the fact that the majority of people who undergo mandatory HIV/AIDS testing are OFWs, it is still alarming to see the growing rate of OFWs infected with the vims. The first known case of AIDS was reported in 1984 and since then, it was said to have progressed slowly. As of December 2005, the Department of Health reported a cumulative total of 2,410 HIV Ab seropositive cases. 1,692 were asymptomatic and 718 were AIDS cases. 69% of these cases are of ages 20 to 39 years old while 63% are males. Sexual intercourse is still the leading mode of transmission. Out of the AIDS cases, 281 were already dead at the time of the HIV/AIDS Registry report due to ADDS related complications. One of the modes of transmission of HIV/AIDS is through mobility groups. As people move from one country to another, they carry the virus with them once they have been infected. In the Philippines, many Filipinos have been migrating since earlier times. Today, it is now the way of life of Filipinos to leave their loved ones behind in search for more effective ways to provide for their family regardless of how high the stakes are. They are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS because of their working environment, susceptibility to loneliness and depression, pressure from home, and pressure from peers, among others. Using the descriptive design, this research studies the role of stakeholders and asserts that there is a greater need for a better HIV/AIDS information dissemination and intervention of both government and non-govemment organizations because the number of infected individuals is growing.