Hundreds of demonstrators demand subsidy for ARVs<\/p>\n
Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people held a demonstration last Saturday, demanding
\nthe government disburse Rp 4.8 billion (US$539,325) as promised
\nearlier, to help people with HIV\/AIDS who need to buy
\nantiretroviral (ARV) drugs.<\/p>\n
The protest at the traffic circle in front of Hotel Indonesia
\nwas supported by the Pelita Ilmu Foundation (YPI), a support
\ngroup for people with HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n
Cofounder of YPI Dr Samsuridjal Djauzi told The Jakarta Post
\nthat Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi had promised on March 6 of
\nthis year to subsidize all people with HIV\/AIDS to the tune of Rp
\n200,000 per month, to help them purchase ARV drugs.<\/p>\n
He explained that ARV drugs were essential for people with
\nHIV\/AIDS to prolong their lives, as the drugs minimized the
\nlikelihood of infection, which could cause opportunistic diseases
\nto spread.<\/p>\n
In many countries such as Cuba, Brazil and South Africa, ARV
\ndrugs have been fully subsidized by their respective governments,
\nto assist large numbers of people with HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n
"Originally, the ARV drugs were produced in the United States
\nand could cost one person Rp 8 million to Rp 10 million per
\nmonth," Samsuridjal said.<\/p>\n
However, the immunologist added that India was able to
\nreplicate the drugs without the need for extensive research,
\nmaking them much cheaper for the consumer. Indian-made ARVs were
\nnow as cheap as Rp 500,000 on the Indonesian market.<\/p>\n
"Therefore, financial aid is crucial, as many people have been
\nfired from their workplaces once it has been discovered that they
\nare living with HIV\/AIDS," he said.<\/p>\n
Discrimination against people with HIV\/AIDS has become another
\nissue at workplaces, as many companies have evidently refused to
\naccept such people.<\/p>\n
"Soon after the company that I worked for found out that I was
\nHIV-positive, they laid me off in February 2002. I have had no
\nsource of income ever since," Yanti, 35, told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
She explained it was essential to have a source of income as
\nshe needed to pay for her treatment, consisting of counseling,
\ntests, ARV drugs and painkillers that totaled Rp 650,000 per
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
"I am at a stage where the presence of ARVs is essential to
\nmaintain my good health. Without any income, the financial aid
\nwill be crucial," said Yanti, who now lives at a treatment center
\nprovided by YPI.<\/p>\n
A national movement to increase HIV\/AIDS therapy was recently
\nlaunched and has targeted about 2,000 people living with HIV\/AIDS
\nto receive ARV in 2003. However, information on how many people
\nhave actually received the drugs is unavailable.<\/p>\n
It is estimated that 120,000 to 190,000 Indonesians are living
\nwith HIV\/AIDS, most of whom acquired the condition due to sharing
\nunsterilized needles for intravenous drug use. The figure does
\nnot include people who have failed to report their condition, due
\nto fear of being stigmatized.<\/p>\n
Papua province has recorded the most cases, as about 34
\npercent of the national total have occurred in the easternmost
\nisland. Jakarta ranks second, with 32 percent of the total.<\/p>\n
"The number is relatively low; however, we should not ignore
\nit by saying that it is not a serious matter.<\/p>\n
"Next year, the government and the entire nation will be
\npreoccupied by other political issues. The issue of HIV\/AIDS
\ncould easily be forgotten," warned Samsuridjal.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hundreds-of-demonstrators-demand-subsidy-for-arvs-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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