Dahil sa patuloy na pagdami ng kaso ng HIV/AIDS sa bansa simula nang matukoy ang sakit noong 1984, umapela ang labor group na Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) sa Department of Health (DoH) na magdeklara ng national epidemic sa nakaaalarmang insidente ng human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) na sanhi ng Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Nabatid na nito lang Hulyo ay nakapagtala ng 585 bagong kaso ng HIV/AIDS sa bansa.

“We are putting the DoH leadership directly responsible for the rise of HIV incidence in the country. The department has been complacent if not passive with its approach towards addressing the phenomenal rise of the problem. That is why we are repeating our call to make such declaration so that it can go out of its way and marshal much needed energy, focus and resources to reduce the virus spread,” pahayag ni TUCP Spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.

Napag-alaman na matapos ang dramatic shift na dalawang infection rate kada oras, hiniling ng TUCP sa DoH noong Mayo na magdeklara ng national epidemic sa HIV/AIDS upang mas matugunan ang gamutan nito.