Australia helps fight drug abuse problems<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Australia donated A$150,000 (US$98,000) on
\nMonday to help fight serious drug addiction problems in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The fund, in addition to previous aid worth A$18.6 million
\nthrough an AusAID five-year project for prevention of HIV\/AIDS
\nand sexually transmitted diseases, is specifically allocated for
\ndrug problems related to injecting drug use (IDU).<\/p>\n
Leslie Rowe, deputy head of mission at the Australian Embassy,
\nsaid he was concerned that drug abuse was a serious problem for
\nthe younger generation in Indonesia, as drug dealers were
\ntargeting school children.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that a team can be set up to observe IDU abuse from
\nhealth and social perspectives,\" he said at a media conference
\npreceding a two-day seminar organized by Project Concern
\nInternational of USAID and AusAID.<\/p>\n
Concerns over IDU are growing, because the practice of using
\nshared needles can facilitate the spread of Hepatitis C or the
\nHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes the Acquired
\nImmune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty
\nEradication Haryono Suyono said the number of Indonesian drug
\nabusers was estimated at about the two million mark.<\/p>\n
He said that several ministers had asked President B.J.
\nHabibie in a recent Cabinet meeting to improve preventive
\nmeasures on drug use.<\/p>\n
The two-day seminar is being held in order to establish an
\naccurate picture of drug abuse in Indonesia, and to explore the
\npossibility of building a network of parents, professionals and
\ninternational communities to tackle the problem. (06)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australia-helps-fight-drug-abuse-problems-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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