IN its bid to make medical services more accessible to its constituents, the Caloocan City government announced on Sunday that it has opened all its public health centers to those who want to avail themselves of the free human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and counseling. “Free HIV testing and counseling services are being offered by the city government for the residents, further strengthening its existing health programs by making it more accessible to the public,” Mayor Dave Gonzalo Malapitan said. The HIV-related programs are available daily at the city’s two social hygiene clinics at Caloocan City Hall-South and Brixton Health Center, and in all local public health centers, the local government said. While HIV is still a public health concern, early detection and preventive medicine will help a lot in stopping its progression into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the mayor pointed out. “That is where our testing and awareness programs for local communities come in,” he said. Malapitan emphasized that there is no room for discrimination against HIV-positive people in the city, as he maintained that all patient information would remain confidential. Encouraging his constituents to take advantage of the free HIV testing and counseling being offered by the city government, the mayor said that he has directed concerned city departments and officials to further step up in conducting awareness drives, particularly at the grassroots level. The city’s Health Department has yet to provide figures as to the number of residents who have availed of the particular medical services, as well as records on those who were afflicted with HIV but have since recovered. “But let me reiterate, their names and other personal information would always remain confidential,” Malapitan said.