As part of its campaign to raise awareness and prevent the spread  of HIV and AIDS, the Parañaque City Government under the leadership of Mayor Florencio M. Bernabe, Jr. recently launched an anti-A.I.D.S. project called LAKAS Laban sa AIDS (Lahat Laban sa HIV at AIDS)-One in Preventing the Spread of Infection

The project is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson and spearheaded by the Parañaque City Health Office headed by Dra. Olga Virtusio through the Social Hygiene Clinic (SHC) under the Supervision of Dr. Francisco Gozos and the Save the Children Foundation. 

The goals and objectives of the project are:  1) To increase the capacity of the Parañaque Social Hygiene Clinic and community-based government health facilities to conduct Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) for HIV among most-at-risk groups and young people; 2) To provide medical, psychosocial, educational and economic support for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and families affected with HIV & AIDS; 3)  To advocate for the incorporation of VCT and STI testing in the primary health care package of the local government; and 4) To advocate for the adoption of the BALUTI (Batang Laging Umiiwas sa Tiyak na Impeksyon) model for HIV prevention in other communities and in night establishments.

Activities and work plan include: 1) Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT); 2) Family -based treatment care and support of PLHIV; 3) Advocacy of the mainstreaming of HIV prevention and VCT among most-at-risk groups and treatment, care and support for PLHIV in the city heath program; and 4) Scaling of BALUTI peer education activities.

 “AIDS is a grave concern for everyone for there is still no cure for this disease and this is why we are launching this project to increase awareness on this disease among our constituents to prevent it from spreading,” Mayor Bernabe said. 

The mayor urged residents to support the project against this disease which has devastating effects not only on the infected individual, but also on the person’s family due to the social stigma that AIDS brings to its victims.  The mayor added that he will continue to implement and support projects and programs that will improve the delivery of health services to residents in the city.

He also assures that the projects will not discriminate against any group and that it is intended to help people, especially those who are at risk. (Public Information Office)