MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray used the recent viral internet “10-year challenge” to step up calls for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing.
“In the last ten years, we’ve seen the cases of new HIV cases in the Philippines rise exponentially from only 1 a day in 2008 to 32 a day in 2018,” Gray wrote in an Instagram post on Friday.
Latest data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that 3,110 Filipino youth aged 15 to 24 years were diagnosed HIV from January to November 2018.
READ: DID YOU KNOW: 3,100 youths diagnosed with HIV Jan-Nov 2018
Despite the spike of HIV cases, the 25-year-old beauty queen noted the good side this indicates.
“While the numbers appear alarming, the data shows us that we’ve been able to reach the affected population and increase the access to testing, which is a key step to stop the rising epidemic,” Gray said.
Gray also emphasized the importance of education in preventing HIV, saying “To accelerate our vision to eradicate HIV, it starts with educating ourselves and then taking steps to get tested and to continue to take steps to care for ourselves.”
“If you’ve never been tested before for HIV, I have my first testing experience up on my YouTube channel in partnership with @loveyourself.ph,” she added.
In the video titled “This is me: Brave and Free with Love Yourself Philippines” posted last November 2018, Gray showed viewers each step that she underwent when she got tested for HIV.
Gray ended her post with a reminder saying, “If I can do it, you can too. Get Tested, know your status. Love yourself.”
Even before winning Binibining Pilipinas and the Miss Universe pageant, Gray has already been active in her volunteer work for Love Yourself Philippines, an organization dedicated to HIV awareness, education, counselling and testing.
RELATED STORIES
Catriona Gray on spike of HIV/AIDS cases in PH: ‘There’s a good side’
WATCH: Catriona Gray proves HIV testing ‘shouldn’t be scary’