Email 550: Planning to go Back Home!

Posted by Pozziepinoy on 8:43 AM

Hi!

 I am planning to go home to Cebu for good. I am coming from the US, how should I go about continuing my medications. I my viral load had been undetectable for over 3 years now. I just need continuing medications.

Looking forward for your guidance.

 XXX


POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE


Hi XXX.

Thank you for your email.

If you plan to go to home to Cebu for good, you don't have to worry about your ARV's. We have the equivalent here, however, we don't have the one pill cocktail but still, ARV's are free and you can continue your medications with no issues.

Here are some tips that you might consider:

1. Of course you have to start from scratch. If you took your HIV test in the US, you have to retake it here again as it is required by DOH that before one is enrolled in a hub, a person has to take the test in the Philippines so it can be part of the Registry. If you took your HIV test here, then just bring your HIV confirmatory test result and present it to your HIV/AIDS Treatment Hub of choice.

2. You have to enrol and become a member of the PhilHealth. If you are going to get a job here, your employer will take care of that. However, you can enrol as an individual contributor if you want. This is a requirement of the hubs so you can get the medical benefits of the Out Patient HIV and AIDS Treatment (OHAT) Package of PhilHeath.

3. The HIV/AIDS Hub is the facility that you will go and get your FREE ARV's, consultation and lab tests every 3 or 6 months. You might consider a hub that is nearest and accessible to your home. In Cebu there is a hub so you don't have to worry about going to Manila for treatment.

4. If the laboratory tests there are free, please get them all prior to coming back here. The hubs will honor all recent lab tests as long as they are a week or two weeks taken prior to your enrolment to the hub. Usually each hub requires a different battery of tests but you can get these there if you have time:

    a. Complete Blood Count (CBC)
    b. Chest xray
    c. Pulmonary TB test
    d. All STD Tests
    e. Toxoplasmosis test
    f. All hepatitis tests
    g. SGPT/SGOT tests
    h. CD4 test
    i. Viral Load Test

5. Bring all your medical history records including past CD4 tests, Viral load tests and all your baseline tests.

6. Bring the prescription of your ARV's and history of past ARV's reactions.

Don't worry, the HIV doctors here are good and I am certain that they can give you the best care.

I hope I was able to answer your concerns. Feel free to email me again if you have other questions.

Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy







"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
NO PLHIV is alone with his or her struggle with HIV!"

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