Commission formed to curb AIDS spread<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Alarmed by the mounting AIDS problem, the
\ngovernment has formed a commission in charge of checking the
\nspread of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that
\ncauses the deadly disease, officials announced yesterday.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto has assigned Coordinating Minister for
\nPeople's Welfare Azwar Anas to lead the commission, which will
\nhandle the AIDS problem nationally.<\/p>\n
The commission, whose membership includes the Minister of
\nHealth, Minister of Social Services, Minister of Population and
\nMinister of Religious Affairs, will formulate an action plan to
\ncombat AIDS, Azwar told reporters.<\/p>\n
Official figures show that, as of April this year, the number
\nof people reported to have been infected with HIV in Indonesia
\nhad reached 213. However, officials acknowledge that the actual
\nnumber could be 200 times higher.<\/p>\n
Azwar, who met with President Soeharto to discuss the new
\npolicy yesterday, said that if HIV spreads at the current rate,
\napproximately 300,000 Indonesians will have acquired the virus by
\nthe year 2000.<\/p>\n
"By then, Indonesia will have to spend US$2 billion a year to
\nbring the disease under control if preventive measures are not
\ntaken now," he said.<\/p>\n
Quoting a report on a recent AIDS study in Southeast Asia by a
\nU.S. government agency, he said the disease is spreading at an
\nalarming rate in this region.<\/p>\n
"The report warns that AIDS is a pressing problem in the
\nregion and that the soaring income per capita will be threatened
\nif AIDS is not brought under control," he said.<\/p>\n
Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
\nare planning to embark on a joint war against the growing AIDS
\nproblem through a regional program with funding from Western
\ncountries and Japan.<\/p>\n
The plan was elaborated on in the second ASEAN Task Force on
\nAIDS meeting in Kuala Lumpur this week. A five-year program will
\nadopt a common strategy to fight the disease, promote exchange of
\ninformation and encourage closer cooperation with non-
\ngovernmental organizations.<\/p>\n
Member countries -- Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei,
\nthe Philippines and Thailand -- have been formulating common
\nstrategies to fight the incurable disease.<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization has warned that the number of
\nAsians infected with HIV will jump from more than two million
\nthis year to over 10 million by the year 2000.<\/p>\n
Azwar said prostitutes and intercity truck drivers will
\nreceive special attention in future anti-AIDS campaigns because
\nthey are believed to be key transmitters of the disease.<\/p>\n
"Large-scale information campaigns will be aimed at these
\ntarget groups," he said.<\/p>\n
He said when truck drivers leave home for a few days, they
\nhabitually visit brothels and pass on sexually transmitted
\ndiseases to others, including their wives.<\/p>\n
The information campaigns will involve religious leaders,
\ninformal community figures and activists of the Family Welfare
\nMovement (PKK), he said. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/commission-formed-to-curb-aids-spread-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}