Bairo-Pite Clinic, in the capital Dili, has registered a total of 338 active HIV/AIDS patients. Of this number, 238 are men and 100 are women.
The President of the Bairo-Pite Clinic Lanud Foundation (FCBL), Inácio dos Santos, said that of the total 338 active HIV/AIDS patients, men represent the majority compared to women, and this is a concern for public health.
He further highlighted that of the 17 new HIV cases registered between January and March 2026, 12 were men and five (5) were women.
“These figures show that most patients are men. This requires greater attention to prevention efforts, especially for this group [men],” he said while speaking to journalists.
According to him, most of the cases detected are among people of productive age. Nearly 80% of the cases detected at the clinic are among young people, particularly secondary school and university students aged 20 years and above, while the remaining cases involve people over the age of 40.
He added that although HIV/AIDS has no complete cure, HIV treatment at the clinic continues to operate normally, and patients receive antiretroviral (ARV) medication to control the virus in their bodies. He also said that patients are disciplined in following their treatment. However, he warned that one major challenge concerns patients living with HIV who have been lost to follow-up in the treatment system.
“Up to now, there are only three patients who have been lost to treatment, comprising two men and one woman. Most of them come from other municipalities such as Oecusse, Bobonaro and Suai, where it is sometimes difficult to carry out follow-up,” he explained.
Even so, he said that over the past year the health team has managed to trace many patients who had previously been lost to follow-up and return them to treatment.
Inácio stressed that education and awareness are the most important factors in reducing HIV transmission in the country.
“Prevention is the key. We need to carry out stronger awareness campaigns among young people so they understand the risks and know how to protect themselves,” he said.
He stated that education programs related to HIV/AIDS continue to be carried out in schools and communities to increase knowledge about the disease and reduce stigma.
Inácio also said that families and society must be involved in prevention efforts. It is not only the responsibility of the health sector, because failure to use protection during sexual intercourse is one of the main factors contributing to the increase in HIV transmission in the country.
“The most effective way to prevent HIV is to use condoms and practice self-control during sexual intercourse,” he reaffirmed.
On the other hand, the President of the National Institute for Combating HIV/AIDS (INCSIDA), Daniel Marçal, also expressed concern about the increasing trend of HIV cases, saying that many young people are in high-risk situations because they have too much freedom and still do not have sufficient knowledge about prevention.
“Many young people do not fully understand how to protect themselves. This is why the number of cases continues to increase,” he said.He assured that INCSIDA continues to make strong efforts through awareness campaigns, public education and the distribution of information throughout the country to raise community awareness and reduce the rate of HIV transmission in the future.
