HIV patients still fear discrimination<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Rohana of Bukit Duri, South Jakarta, is still grieving for her
\nnephew, who spent the last three months of his life in hospital.<\/p>\n
\"He was never told what was making him so ill, as other family
\nmembers were reluctant to say,\" she said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Rohana said her nephew died of kidney failure, but the doctor
\nfinally declared he had developed AIDS. \"It must have been
\nbecause of his past sex life,\" she said.<\/p>\n
If a person with HIV\/AIDS does not want to talk about how they
\nwere infected, for whatever reason, society may be quick to make
\nassumptions about their past behavior. This is one reason why
\nmany people are reluctant to undergo a blood test, even if they
\nsuspect that they are HIV positive.<\/p>\n
\"Only 5 percent of people living with HIV\/AIDS in Jakarta are
\nrecorded by the City Health Agency. Most of them refuse to have
\ntheir blood tested,\" agency head Abdul Chalik Masulili said.<\/p>\n
The agency is not at liberty to force individuals to take a
\nblood test, which would be a human rights violation.<\/p>\n
\"Many people with the virus are reluctant to go to hospital
\nfor health checks. They fear discrimination, not just from
\nsociety, but from members of their own family,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Blood tests for HIV\/AIDS are available at Cipto Mangunkusumo
\nGeneral Hospital, Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, Soekanto Police
\nHospital, Fatmawati Hospital, Soelianti Saroso Infection
\nHospital, Mintohardjo Navy Hospital, Persahabatan Hospital,
\nDharmais Cancer Hospital and Duren Sawit Hospital.<\/p>\n
Agency spokeswoman Zelvino asked Jakartans to be prepared to
\nhave their blood taken, rather than being afraid due to
\ndiscrimination. She said that trained staff members are on hand
\nto provide counseling in the event that a test comes back
\npositive.<\/p>\n
Data from the agency suggests that the number of people with
\nHIV\/AIDS in the city has reached 1,282, or 25 percent of the
\nnational total of 4,389. However, experts are quick to point out
\nthat the actual number of people living with HIV\/AIDS in the
\ncountry is probably much higher.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hiv-patients-still-fear-discrimination-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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