AIDS information drives require coordination<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An executive of the Kusuma Buana Foundation
\nunderlined yesterday the importance of coordination, among non-
\ngovernmental organizations (NGOs), in disseminating information
\non the danger of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).<\/p>\n
Joedo Prihartono of the Kusuma Buana Foundation said that
\ncoordination in the cooperation mechanism of NGOs' activities is
\nbadly needed to prevent an overlapping in the provision of
\ninformation on the dangers of AIDS.<\/p>\n
Joedo made the remarks in response to the rising number of
\nNGOs interested in providing services to prostitutes operating at
\nthe Kramat Tunggak prostitute rehabilitation center in North
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
He said that on the one hand the many NGOs interested in the
\nservices is welcome, but on the other hand their activities, if
\nnot coordinated carefully, will be weak, between one and the
\nother.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, it is time now to have a suitable mechanism for
\nsuch a coordination,\" Joedo said.<\/p>\n
The Kusuma Buana Foundation, established in 1983, was
\noriginally formed as a service to mothers and children in health
\nissues. It began being interested in AIDS in 1993 when its
\nresearch showed that 29.6 percent of the women who came to its
\nsix clinics had sexually related diseases.<\/p>\n
The foundation realizes that Kramat Tunggak is one of the
\nplaces which is at risk to the virus because it is near Tanjung
\nPriok port and a great number of both local and foreign sailors
\nfrequent the district.<\/p>\n
The foundation started informing prostitutes on the dangers of
\nAIDS in early 1994, motivating them to offer condoms to their
\nclients.<\/p>\n
Kramat Tunggak is located in North Jakarta and was built by
\nthe city administration in 1970 to put prostitutes from around
\nTanjung Priok port into one complex.<\/p>\n
The 11-hectare complex consists of 270 buildings, which can
\naccommodate 2,300 prostitutes. At this time there are about 2,000
\nprostitutes operating there.<\/p>\n
Joedo said that his foundation is currently exploring the
\npossibility of cooperating with Mitra Indonesia and the Pelita
\nIlmu Foundation in the provision of canceling and more advanced
\neducation for prostitutes in Kramat Tunggak.<\/p>\n
\"The Kusuma Buana Foundation is also preparing another
\ncooperation project with the Atmajaya Research Center to provide
\ninformation to medicine sellers around the Kramat Tunggak area,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Joedo also said that cases of both AIDS and the Human
\nImmunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Indonesia are increasing. The
\nnumber of HIV carriers is reported to have reached 305 at
\npresent, but their real number could possibly jumps to 175,000
\npeople, he said, warning that the increase may continue in the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
He said information on prostitutes, the highest at risk group,
\nabout AIDS is still very limited. \"Almost all of them consider
\nthemselves to be free of the disease. This ignorance is feared to
\nlead to the rejection of the application of safer sex, such as
\nthe use of condoms,\" he said. (32\/hhr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aids-information-drives-require-coordination-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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