166 OFWs positive with HIV within 7 months — DoLE By Mina Diaz 09/01/2011

166 OFWs positive with HIV within 7 months — DoLE

By Mina Diaz 09/01/2011

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz yesterday said the number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were found to be positive with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have reached 166 in just seven months, from January to July this year, up by 73 percent compared to the 96 diagnosed over the same period in 2010.

The Labor chief has directed the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) to intensify its efforts in reaching and informing workers on the dangers of risky behaviors at the workplace that may lead to HIV/AIDS infection.

Baldoz urged all private and government sectors to set up a comprehensive HIV/AIDS policy and program that will deal with prevention and elimination of discrimination of persons with HIV/AIDS.

Citing the National HIV and AIDS Registry statistics, party-list Rep. Arnel Ty said the fresh cases brought to 1,688 the cumulative number of OFWs known infected with the highly contagious virus that destroys the immune system..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110901nat3.html