Sex workers with HIV roam Angeles streets?

ANGELES CITY — Commercial sex workers, both male and female, still roam the city streets, and health authorities could not say whether some of them are among the 60 HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) cases confirmed here since 1985.

Dr. Joven Esguerra, city health officer, told The STAR yesterday that the AIDS law has virtually hampered efforts by health officials to track down those infected with the dreaded virus, largely contracted through sexual contact, which could lead to full-blown AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

"It is possible that some of them are still roaming the city streets (as commercial sex workers)," said Esguerra, admitting that most of the 60 confirmed HIV cases could not be located.

The 60 cases were confirmed in laboratory blood tests conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

Of the cases, 52 were diagnosed during regular surveillance operations of the city health office, while the rest were detected when they went to hospitals, Esguerra said.

Esguerra bewailed that the AIDS law bars health officials from "strictly monitoring victims of HIV and full-blown AIDS."

He added that disclosing the identities of the victims could even lead to imprisonment.

"The law forbids tracing the contacts of the victims, except in cases of rape or when it is backed by a court order," he said.

He noted that annually, the city health office tests about 600 registered and freelance "hospitality girls," who frequent Fields Avenue and other streets, and a few homosexuals.

Esguerra said monogamy for married couples or total abstinence from sexual contact is the best measure to avoid contracting HIV.

"If this cannot be done, then the use of condom should be resorted to at all times," he added, although noting that the Catholic Church frowns upon the use of artificial means of birth control.

Esguerra said local health offices get no budget from the national government in the fight against AIDS.

"There is financial support from the USAID (United States Agency for International Development), but this is limited only to assessing AIDS trends," he said.