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By Tino Largado The threat of COVID-19 still looms, and we’re all encouraged to stay indoors as much as possible. This, of course, doesn’t mean LoveYourself’s commitment to provide private and confidential HIV testing services have to be affected. LoveYourself Community Centers continue to operate amidst the community quarantine restrictions and challenges of the pandemic. But adapting to the situation means providing more innovative options to our clients. One of which is SelfCare . Officially launching this October is SelfCare, the first ever unassisted self-testing service in the country. Initially opened in a limited capacity back in April 2020, SelfCare now caters to clients who would like to know their HIV status quickly, safely, and securely in the comfort of their home. Mainly aimed at addressing client’s concerns about privacy, convenience, and availability, the timing of SelfCare couldn’t be any more perfect particularly at a time when pandemic restrictions are in place. Gett...

By Edgar Bagasol Jr. and John Oliver Corciega To support iCON and SelfCare, LoveYourself also introduced the acXess program to ensure the continuum of care, especially among clients who obtain reactive HIVST results. Services covered include confirmatory HIV testing, viral load, and CD4 testing, and Hepatitis B, syphilis, and CBC diagnostic services. Designed to address mobility issues amid quarantine measures, acXess works in two ways: first, as a mobile laboratory where a medical technologist comes to provide testing and diagnostic services at the client’s own home; or second, as a client transport provider to pick up and drop off clients from their residence and take them to a LoveYourself facility for onsite testing and ARV initiation. To date, 22 reactive SelfCare clients have been scheduled for acXess services. LoveYourself staff ensuring proper management of data for pioneer programs Photo by Edgar Bagasol Jr. Taking advantage of the public’s increased online presence and activi...

By Edgar Bagasol Jr. and John Oliver Corciega Access to a healthcare professional is another need expressed by LoveYourself’s PLHIV clients. This has become challenging with COVID, primarily because they are concerned about their susceptibility to COVID-19 if they go out, due to their immunocompromised status. While there is still no evidence to prove that they have an indeed greater risk of acquiring COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) still advises PLHIVs, especially “those with advanced diseases, those with low CD4 and high viral load, and those who are not taking ARV” to take extra precaution. LoveYourself staff coordinating schedules for iCON Photo by Edgar Bagasol Jr. To respond to this expressed gap, LoveYourself launched its telehealth program called iCON, short for “interactive consultation” ( go.loveyourself.ph/iCON ), where PLHIV clients on treatment can consult with a healthcare professional via social media or other digital platforms. Besides giving clients the o...

MANDALUYONG CITY (21 April 2020) – Miss  Universe Titleholders Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray headlined the Rise As One: An Online Concert that happened last April 12 at the Champion Community Centers' Facebook page. The Champion Community Centers, alongside the movers in the HIV advocacy, have banded together to send a message of hope and love to the country, amidst the COVID-19 and extended community quarantine situation. Wurtzbach, also the UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Asia and the Pacific, encouraged the people to prioritize their physical health. She advised to continue following measures to avoid COVID-19, and for people living with HIV (PLHIV) to keep a stock of their antiretroviral medicines to secure an undetectable status, since undetectable equals untransmittable (U=U). Gray, an HIV advocate, empathized with the members of the HIV community for the medical assistance they need despite the ongoing enhanced community quarantine. She also advised reaching out and getting...