MANILA, March 4, 2022 — The U.S. Peace Corps recently partnered with local health officials and the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) ReachHealth project to vaccinate more than 10,600 Filipinos at mass vaccination clinics in Quezon City and Caloocan City.

Amid the Omicron surge in January and February, doctors and nurses from the U.S. Peace Corps helped fill critical healthcare worker shortages and meet vaccine demand by volunteering two days a week during this two-month period.  This was the first phase of a larger, nationwide effort to help protect the Filipino people against COVID-19 by increasing the vaccination rate, now at 71 percent (with two doses).

In February, the U.S. Peace Corps’ medical team was able to screen and vaccinate adolescents at mass vaccine clinics for those aged 12-17.  In total, more than 2,700 patients aged 5-17 were given the vaccine.  Together with the Department of Health and USAID, the U.S. Peace Corps will continue to provide medical professionals and other support staff to conduct pediatric vaccine clinics for children aged 5-11 in the National Capital Region, other parts of Luzon, and the Visayas.

“The U.S. Peace Corps is pleased to team up with the Philippine government and USAID to support this critical, nationwide effort to protect the Filipino people and get children safely back to school in person,” said U.S. Peace Corps Country Director Jenner Edelman in her recent visit to a mass vaccine clinic in Quezon City.

In the absence of American volunteers due to the ongoing pandemic, the U.S. Peace Corps is devoting all available resources, including its medical professionals who would otherwise be caring for American volunteers, to supporting Philippine and U.S. government partners in overcoming COVID-19 in the Philippines.

USAID’s health and humanitarian assistance supports the Philippine government in implementing internationally recognized prevention, control, and response strategies to protect Filipinos—including the most vulnerable—against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

To date, USAID has provided $34.5 million in aid to improve the national and local responses through risk communication, laboratory strengthening, contact tracing, isolation, critical care management, logistics management, training, and acceleration of vaccine coverage.

The U.S. Peace Corps is the U.S. government’s premier volunteer organization and has supported Filipino communities across the country for more than 60 years.  Over 9,300 American volunteers have served as co-teachers, youth development facilitators, environmental experts, or filled other roles requested by host communities over the decades.

PARTNERSHIP TO END HIV EPIDEMIC

Meanwhile, the United States government, through the USAID and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), is working with the Department of Health and other partners to introduce innovations to help end the HIV epidemic in the Philippines.

USAID, through its Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project, and its partners recently launched QuickRes.org, a website that allows clients to easily book health services such as HIV testing and treatment in the Philippines.

The website also helps health facilities manage clinic appointments and HIV-related care.  It has already been successfully rolled out in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.

USAID also led a series of webinars for people living with HIV and healthcare workers about a highly effective new HIV treatment regimen called TLD (Tenofovir, Lamivudine, and Dolutegravir).  TLD has fewer side effects than other HIV treatment regimens and is considered the gold standard in HIV treatment.

According to the World Health Organization, HIV infections in the Philippines increased by 200 percent between 2010 and 2018.  While there is no available cure for HIV/AIDS, numerous advances have led to stronger prevention and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS and those at risk for it.

“Both TLD and the QuickRes online booking platform are game changers when it comes to HIV work in the Philippines.  Together with existing efforts, these two could help the country meet the global target of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030,” said USAID Philippines Health Office Director Michelle Lang-Alli.

USAID, PEPFAR, and their partners are also planning other community events to reach more people living with HIV to help them stay within their treatment program and safely transition to TLD.  USAID will continue to work with key stakeholders, partners, and members of the people living with HIV community to realize the vision of a future free of new HIV infections and improved quality of life for all people living with HIV.

“We want people to know that HIV treatment works.  With consistent HIV treatment, people living with HIV can lead full, long, and healthy lives, without being afraid of passing it on to the people they care about,” said Lang-Alli.  “Everyone should be able to live freely—free from fear, labels, or hurdles that keep them from being healthy.  We should be free to be ourselves.  You should be free to be you.” ~