Fernando Esguerra, Globe OIC for Corporate Social Responsibility, demonstrates how TxtHIV operates. With him are (from L-R): PNAC Executive Director Dr. Chito Avelino; S&S TechnologiesPhilippines President and CEO Mark Soriano; and PHANSUP Chairman Oscar Picazo.
There are only seven countries in the world which are experiencing a steady increase in the number of HIV cases and the Philippines is one of them. The Philippines received 12 new cases of HIV daily in 2013 from only one case in 2009, with 95% of them involving males. Since 1984, 17,450 Filipinos have been reported with HIV, 1,599 of them have progressed into AIDS.
With this increasing number of HIV cases in the Philippines, Globe Telecom in collaboration with key partner organization launches the “TxtHIV to 8504” campaign. It's a SMS-based information, counselling and clinic referral drive for people who wants to be tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but are afraid of facing societal discrimination.
With your Globe postpaid or prepaid mobile number, you can just text HIV to 8504 and answer five yes or no questions via an interactive voice recording to check if testing is necessary. You will then be provided with contact details and addresses of the nearest specialized accredited health centers where you can go for assessment, counseling, and immediate treatment. All calls will remain very impersonal and confidential.
At present, only one percent of the general population has been tested for HIV since most people are afraid to ask for help or simply do not know where to get information.
So if you think you are at risk, you should really take the first step. TxtHIV to 8504!
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