The Department of Health took the lead in establishing the National AIDS Prevention and Control Program in 1998 in response to the emerging threat of the global AIDS pandemic. In 1994, DOH integrated its STI program with the NAPC, which had been known as National AIDS STI Prevention and Control Program (NASPCP).
NASPCP is under the Infectious Disease Office of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC). A Program Coordinator is designated, supervised by the Directors of IDO (Director III) and NCDPC (Director IV).
Presently the NASPCP has its distinct role of technical leadership in the STI/HIV/AIDS response in the health sector, wherein it provides policy guidance, technical assistance, capacity building and other resource augmentation as well as monitoring and evaluation within the ambit of the health care system.
NASPCP has coordinative role in other health programs of the DOH (AO on RH) and initiatives, such as maternal and child health, family planning, adolescent RH, blood safety and universal precaution among others in matters pertaining to STI/HIV/AIDS.
In 1995, DOH through the Hospital Management Office and the NASPCP enacted the policy guidelines on the creation of HIV AIDS Core Team as the focal point for all HIV related services in hospital setting, which is currently the platform for HIV counseling and testing, treatment of opportunistic infection, universal precaution and infection control, psychosocial support to people living with HIV and AIDS and clinical management of AIDS through provision of anti retro-viral drugs.
The Philippines has identified HIV and AIDS as one of the priority public health programs based on the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan 2004-2010, which is in cognizant of the country’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 (MDG) and the United National General Assembly Special Session on HIV and AIDS (UNGASS).
The NASPCP supports and contributes to the attainment of goals and objectives of the Fourth AIDS Medium Term Plan 2004-2010 (AMTP4) through the following goals, objectives and strategic thrusts for STI/HIV/AIDS in the health sector, which is also reflected in the Philippine health sector plan – National Objectives for Health 2005-2010.
Goal: |
Contain the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other reproductive tract infections and mitigate their impact |
Goals for 2005-2010
National Objectives for 2005-2010 |
Indicator |
Target |
Baseline Data and Source |
Contain the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among the general population |
Prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS per 100,000 population |
Less than one case per 100,000 |
0.03/100,000
Field Health Service Information System, 2003 |
Prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS among pregnant women ages 15 to 24 years
(MDG Target) |
Less than one percent |
Baseline to be determined |
Contain the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among the high risk or more vulnerable population |
Prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS among the high risk or more vulnerable population |
Less than 3 percent |
Less than 3 percent
HIV/AIDS Sentinel Surveillance System, 2004 |
Reduce the incidence of gonorrhea among the high risk or more vulnerable population |
Incidence rate of gonorrhea among the high risk or more vulnerable population |
12 percent or less |
23 percent
HIV/AIDS Sentinel Surveillance System, 2004 |
Reduce the transmission of STIs in the general population and among the vulnerable groups |
Condom use rate of the contraceptive prevalence rate
(MDG Target) |
5 percent |
1.9 percent
National Demographic and Health Survey, 2003 |
Condom use rate at last high-risk sex
(MDG Target) |
80 percent |
40 percent
HIV/AIDS Sentinel Surveillance System, 2004 |
NASPCP Strategic Thrusts for 2005-2010
- Ensure universal access to adequate and appropriate information, education and health service to control HIV/AIDS at the health facility and community level, including provision of prevention of HIV, treatment, care and support for people living with HIV and management of STIs.
- Scale up HIV Counseling and Testing as entry point for treatment care and support
- Clinical management of AIDS using anti-retroviral and opportunistic drugs
- Availability of post exposure prophylaxis
- STI diagnosis, treatment and counseling
- Prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS
- Blood safety
- Prevent and control STI-HIV/AIDS transmission among workers dealing with human body, human parts and tissues, and human fluids such as allied medical and paramedical health personnel, embalmers, mortuary workers, tattoo artists through education and capability building, both in public and private facilities.
- Capacity building through trainings for health providers and strengthening of HIV AIDS Core team in the hospital settings.
- Promote safe sex and other positive behavior relevant to the control of HIV-AIDS and RTIs among the following target groups; (1) most at risk population (MARPS) particularly entertainment establishment workers, males having sex with males, injecting drug users, (2) other vulnerable population such as the migrant workers and youth, (3) the general population.
- Address the stigma and discrimination against the vulnerable groups by the general population by promoting local government-initiated and community-based programs. Through this, prevention by caring, which entails respect for human dignity, gender sensitivity and preserving confidentiality;
- Strengthen collaboration of DOH with LGUs and NGOs to reach out and provide acceptable, accessible and affordable medical and social services to the following “hidden” vulnerable or marginalized groups such as registered female sex workers, freelance female sex workers, male sex workers, injecting drug users, OFWs, children with HIV/AIDS, people with HIV/AIDS, incarcerated persons, retardates and men having sex with men
- Research and development to advance the management of HIV/AIDS and other reproductive tract infections.
- Support for the improvement of the central management of the multi-agency, multi-sector STI-HIV/AIDS program through a regular review of roles and responsibilities and by installing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system.
- Support disease surveillance and diagnostic facilities to more sites to expand service coverage and improve case detection.
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