HIV/AIDS testing affected by lockdowns

WITH a mind already filled with the daily dose of killings and the Christine Dacera case, my attention was drawn to a column titled “How do you embrace a ‘killer?’” (Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 10). To my surprise, the ‘killer’ described by the 28-year-old anonymous writer wasn’t a person but HIV. He was diagnosed HIV-positive a week before Christmas. I couldn’t help but be moved by this young man’s story. It was a reminder that HIV/AIDS, which affects millions of people all over the world, continues to wreak havoc on lives. The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic notwithstanding, patients of other diseases must not be left behind.

HIV is a “catch it and keep it virus” in the words of William A. Haseltine (Scientific American, Oct. 1, 2020). The pathogen “stays in your body until it destroys the immune system, leaving you undefended against even mild infections.” In that way, HIV is a more formidable foe than SARS-CoV-2.