1. Increasing Number of Pregnant Women Newly Diagnosed with HIV in the Philippines
12 July 2016

2. Modes of HIV Transmission in the Philippines
Sharing of infected needles among people who inject drugs (PWID), mostly males
Male-to-Male sex or Males who have
sex w/ both males & females
Male-to-Female sex
Mother to baby
MSM have female sex partners
Male PWID have female sex partners

3. Increasing Number of Females Diagnosed with HIV
2,574 newly diagnosed HIV+ females from Jan 1984 to May 2016
Regions: NCR, 7, 3, 4A, 11, 1
Majority are housewives or don’t have a job (except in Region 3)
26% are OFWs
Only 497 (20%) PLHIV females are currently taking ART
Source: HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP), Epidemiology Bureau, Department of Health

4. Downstream (males to females to babies) Infections
PWID
Female Partners of
AIDS Epidemic Model, Cebu Province
Annual Proportion of New HIV Infections,
91 infants infected from HIV+ mothers
2014: 5 HIV+ infants
2015: 17 infants
Jan to May 2016: 7 infants
Modes of HIV transmission:
2,349 or 91% sexual transmission
90 or 3% sharing needles
15 or <1% from blood transfusion
1 through accidental needle prick
77 or 3% unknown transmission
42 or 2% female infants were infected from maternal transmission
Source: HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP), Epidemiology Bureau, Department of Health

5. Pregnant Women Newly Diagnosed with HIV
Year
New Pregnant HIV+
2011 2
2012 11
2013 15
2014 18
2015 40
Jan – May 2016 29
Source: HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP), Epidemiology Bureau, Department of Health

6. Issues identified HIV Testing Access to ART
HIV testing results takes 2-3 weeks in NCR. Cebu City already using rHIVda (1 day results)
Access to ART
Less than half are on ART.
Service Delivery Networks for HIV+ pregnant women not fully established in NCR. RITM & SLH are the common referral hospitals (but these do not have MCH services).
Delivery and Early Infant Diagnosis
Don’t know where these pregnant women give birth.
Babies are not diagnosed.

7. Current Activities to Address Issues
Surveillance
Epi Bureau implementing heightened surveillance for Maternal to Child Transmission of HIV
HIV Program
Universal offering of HIV testing among pregnant women in health centers in Cebu city and NCR since 2013.
Cebu, Manila, QC & Marikina with existing SDN
HIV Testing
- rHIVda being used for pregnant women in Cebu
Other areas send to SACCL for Western Blot diagnosis
Access to ART
- ART given for free at Treatment Hubs and Satellite Treatment Hubs (QC, Marikina, Manila, Mandaluyong, Pasig, and Cebu)
Delivery and Early Infant Diagnosis
- Free PCR testing for babies

8. Recommendations Expand and improve SDN in NCR
Capacitate Satellite Treatment Hubs to provide ARV to pregnant women
DOH Regional Offices (NCR, Region 7, Region 4A, Region 3) requested to organize regular PMTCT review
Refresher course on inter-personal counseling
HIV Testing
- Expand rHIVda for pregnant women in NCR
- SACCL to prioritize Western Blot diagnosis of pregnant women in other areas
Delivery and Early Infant Diagnosis
- Identify least one hospital per city or inter-local health zone to deliver MCH services for HIV+ pregnant women (ie. ANC, delivery, early infant diagnosis, infant ARV prophylaxis)