AIDS spread in Papua blamed on poverty<\/p>\n
Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite an extensive campaign against HIV\/AIDS in Papua, the
\nnumber of local people living with the deadly virus continues to
\nincrease, making the province one of the regions worst affected
\nby the disease.<\/p>\n
Lack of education and widespread poverty were largely blamed
\nfor the sharp increase in HIV\/AIDS cases in the troubled
\nprovince, which has faced decades of a separatist movement.<\/p>\n
Data from the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) reveals
\nthat 406 new HIV\/AIDS cases had been discovered in Papua over the
\npast few years.<\/p>\n
According to the United Nations Program on HIV\/AIDS (UNAIDS),
\nthere are between 14,000 and 15,000 people living with HIV\/AIDS
\n(PLWHA) in the province.<\/p>\n
The number of PLWHA throughout the country is estimated at
\nbetween 80,000 and 130,000. Jakarta is reportedly the worst-
\naffected province.<\/p>\n
A survey conducted by Unicef in 2003 and 2004 revealed on
\nTuesday that most junior high students in Papua aged between 13
\nyears and 15 years remain uninformed about HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n
The report went on to say that 12 percent of Papuan youths
\naged between 15 and 24 years have engaged in sex, it said.<\/p>\n
More than 60 percent of the youths did not practice safe-sex,
\nmeaning they did not use condoms, the survey added.<\/p>\n
\"The survey proves that knowledge about HIV\/AIDS is still low,
\nparticularly among Papuan youth -- the group most at risk. There
\nis a significant degree of ignorance in Papua and we must
\novercome it,\" Unicef representative in Indonesia Steven Allen
\nsaid on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The importance of education in the fight against HIV\/AIDS in
\nPapua has also been recognized by the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
The Dutch government signed on Tuesday an agreement with
\nUnicef to support Indonesia's measures to stop the spread of
\nHIV\/AIDS in five regencies in Papua: Biak, Manokwari, Jayapura,
\nJayawijaya and Sorong.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, the Dutch government has granted US$1.6
\nmillion for the joint cooperation program of the Indonesian
\ngovernment and Unicef to fight HIV\/AIDS in Papua.<\/p>\n
The funds will be used to educate Papuan youths on HIV\/AIDS
\nprevention through junior secondary schools. School dropouts will
\nreceive similar training from community peer educators.<\/p>\n
Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia Ruud Treffers said his
\ngovernment was granting the funds because Papua was a province
\ngreatly affected by HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n
\"We also chose Papua because it is located in the eastern part
\nof the country, which is in line with our country's focus on
\nfighting poverty and supporting basic education,\" he added.<\/p>\n
On behalf of the Indonesian government, Ministry of National
\nEducation official Fasli Djalal expressed gratitude for the
\nassistance.<\/p>\n
He said the grant would be used to strengthen the campaign
\nagainst HIV\/AIDS in Papua by providing youths with information on
\nthe virus, and training teachers on the importance of educating
\nstudents about its danger.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aids-spread-in-papua-blamed-on-poverty-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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