AIDS in the Philippines: how much has it spread, what has been done, what lies ahead?

A total of 50 HIV carriers, 46 of them female prostitutes, have been detected through seroprevalence surveys of the Department of Health. Infection rate are highest in 2 cities near US military bases. Seven (7) frank AIDS cases who contracted the disease outside the country have been reported . Public information measures have heavily relied on mass media and there is anecdotal evidence that awareness of the disease among the urban population is increasing. The National AIDS Committee foresees that a large number of cases seen in the Philippines in the next few years will be in returning nationals who where infected abroad. (Auth)