Ds that kill: Denial and discrimination<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
HIV-related fear has, ironically, led society to deny the
\npresence of the deadly virus at our doorstep despite the
\ncollective risk we are bound to face with the silent spread of
\nthe virus due to our rapidly changing lifestyle which exposes us
\nto infection.<\/p>\n
Many HIV activists believe that this denial comes from a
\ngeneral lack of knowledge in spite of its accessibility and
\navailability.<\/p>\n
Recovering drug addict Decky, who was diagnosed with Human
\nImmunodeficiency Virus (HIV) three years ago said one of his
\nintravenous drug user (IDU) mates strongly rejected the
\nsuggestion of an HIV test, rationalizing that he shared needles
\n\"only with decent guys\".<\/p>\n
Decky, who has been a campaigner for HIV prevention for the
\nlast two years, described \"decent guys\" as those who never skip
\nbathing and are always well-groomed.<\/p>\n
Another factor is the low level of condom use. HIV activist
\nAndre said most of the customers at Gang Dolly prostitution
\ncomplex in Surabaya, where he and his friends run the campaign,
\nrefused to use any of the free condoms provided.<\/p>\n
\"They give many reasons. Uncomfortable is the norm. We have
\nlearned to be tricky. We taught the female sex workers how to put
\ncondoms on without making their customers realize.\"<\/p>\n
Worse still, such indifference in finding out what exactly HIV
\nor the feared Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is all
\nabout has created a stigma in the society.<\/p>\n
The two most common routes of HIV infection in the country:
\nunsafe sex and IDU are seen as controllable behaviors and
\ntherefore avoidable. So, the epidemic is perceived as the
\nbearer's responsibility. Punishment for the immoral.<\/p>\n
More over, fear of contagion has made society treat the social
\ngroups most affected by the epidemic as vermin and labeled them
\nwith the disease.<\/p>\n
Pelita Ilmu Foundation (YPI)'s task force recorded many cases
\nof discrimination against the social groups and HIV positive
\npeople, such as mandatory testing without counseling prior to or
\nafter testing and quarantine.<\/p>\n
A 24-year-old man was handcuffed by his family and guarded by
\na security guard in a room in his own house. Another man was
\nlocked up in a room built separate from the family's house. His
\nfood was delivered to him under the door.<\/p>\n
A teenage sex worker was dispelled from a rehabilitation
\ncenter by the officials of the social welfare department after
\nthe officials announced her HIV status to her rehab mates. A
\nwoman was banished from her village for fear she would bring bad
\nluck. Many more are banned from traveling abroad.<\/p>\n
Even the dead are not left alone. The family of a male living
\nwith AIDS put his body in a plastic bag when he died before
\nburying him. The bed he had slept in was set on fire. In another
\ncase of a 15-year-old female, the morgue attendants refused to
\nbathe the body for a proper funeral.<\/p>\n
Many hospitals in Jakarta, and more in other big cities in the
\ncountry, refuse to handle HIV infected people, arguing that they
\nare not ready.<\/p>\n
And those are the stories of the 2000s.<\/p>\n
What these people have failed to see that it is safe to
\nbreathe the air together with the HIV positive and people with
\nAIDS and that the virus can infect anybody no matter how straight
\ntheir life is.<\/p>\n
HIV attacks and eventually destroys white blood cells which
\nare a part of the body's immune system. The virus is spread
\nthrough the transmission of contaminated body fluids such as
\nsemen, vaginal secretions and blood.<\/p>\n
The entry occurs through broken skin and mucous membranes --
\ntissues that line the mouth, vagina, rectum, and urethra.<\/p>\n
Any activity where one partner -- heterosexual or homosexual
\n-- penetrates another sexually can spread the illness.<\/p>\n
Any cutting into the body with contaminated instruments such
\nas needles used by IDUs, unsterilized medical and dental
\nequipment, as well as blood transfusion, ear piercing, tattooing,
\nand manicure equipment can also expose a person to infection.<\/p>\n
When a person is infected, his\/her immune system makes
\nantibodies to combat the virus. A person is labeled HIV positive
\nwhen the antibodies are found in his\/her blood.<\/p>\n
There are therapies and medication to slow down the
\ndevelopment of HIV but there is no cure or vaccination to prevent
\nthe virus, which is eventually fatal.<\/p>\n
However, the HIV positive may remain healthy for many, many
\nyears before they suffer AIDS which is the last stage of HIV
\ninfection where various malignancies occur and lead to death.<\/p>\n
Due to the stigma of HIV\/AIDS, the social groups at risk are
\ndeterred from undergoing tests or seeking information and
\nassistance for risk reduction while those who live with the virus
\nor the disease must face hostility from society when they need
\nhelp and support.<\/p>\n
At a rough estimate, the virus had infected 80,000 to 120,000
\nIndonesians. Official data from the Ministry of Health collected
\nfrom 1987 to June 2002 shows only 2,900 people. Learning from the
\nrising number of IDUs and HIV prevalence which, in developing
\nSoutheast Asian countries, is up to 0.6 percent, the data is
\nlikely to be just the tip of the iceberg.<\/p>\n
Both HIV positive and HIV negative campaigners are now
\nstruggling against stigma and discrimination -- the focus of the
\nWorld AIDS Day this year, which falls on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The denial of potential risk and the hostile attitude that
\nkeeps HIV positive people behind closed doors will not do
\nanything to slow down, or prevent, the epidemic. It is time to
\nstop burying our head in the sand.<\/p>",
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