Many fail to grasp the reality of AIDS<\/p>\n
By Syaiful W. Harahap and Jupriadi<\/p>\n
UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Young girls sitting in a
\nrow waiting for guests -- that is the sight every night in one of
\nthe night spots in Ujungpandang.<\/p>\n
Although 10 HIV\/AIDS cases have been recorded in the province
\n(one of the HIV positive people, a male, has died) the sex
\nbusiness is still thriving. Scores of sex workers operate at
\nmalls, parks and other public places, including Losari beach.<\/p>\n
The recorded number of 10 is the only one which could be
\ndetermined. Sudirman, program consultant of an AIDS anticipation
\nvoluntary group, which is associated with Indonesia HIV\/AIDS and
\nStudies Prevention and Care Project supported by AusAID, said
\n\"The real figure may be much higher.\"<\/p>\n
This number is only the top of the iceberg. According to the
\nWorld Health Organization, for each person tested positive, there
\nare one hundred others who are not.<\/p>\n
The AIDS anticipation voluntary group has also found four
\nchild sex workers who admitted that they have symptoms of a
\nsexually transmitted disease. One teenage girl, a sex worker on
\nLosari beach, said that some of her friends have a sexually
\ntransmitted disease.<\/p>\n
In the past six months, Indonesian Parenthood Association
\nclinics in South Sulawesi registered 22 people infected with a
\nsexually transmitted disease. Eight of them admitted they were
\nsex workers.<\/p>\n
Sexually transmitted diseases accelerate the spread of HIV
\nbecause the wounds make it possible for the retrovirus to gain
\neasier access.<\/p>\n
People who are infected with HIV probably do not even know
\nthey have been infected. People can have HIV for 15 years or
\nlonger before they show symptoms; much depends on their overall
\nhealth status and factors such as good nutrition.<\/p>\n
Three of the nine remaining HIV positive people in the
\nprovince are sex workers who are married. One of these has a
\npartner who is also HIV positive. The couple, Tita and Didi (not
\ntheir real names), as well as the other HIV positive people, are
\nreceiving treatment through YATA, a local AIDS foundation. Each
\nof them receives assistance by YATA from AusAID amounting to Rp
\n7,500 a day.<\/p>\n
Dr. H. Sabir Siyu, a psychiatrist who treats HIV positive
\npeople, said: \"We can only give them vitamins.\"<\/p>\n
Nearly 90 percent of the world's people with HIV\/AIDS cannot
\nafford to buy the various retrovirus medicines available. In the
\nU.S., a HIV positive person can spend between US$12,000 and
\n$15,000 on retrovirus medication.<\/p>\n
Before the HIV positive sex workers got married, the three
\nwomen were treated at the Mattiro Deceng Social Rehabilitation
\nCenter of the Ministry of Social Affairs in Ujungpandang. After
\ntheir marriage, they were given equipment and capital.<\/p>\n
One of the couples intended to live in their village in
\nSoutheast Sulawesi. Dr. Siyu sent a letter to the regional
\noffices of the Health and Social Affairs Ministries and the chief
\nof the village where the couple was heading. But what happened
\nnext was not assistance from the authorities concerned. The
\ncouple became news. The community chased the couple away. \"I
\nstrongly regret that the letter was leaked to the media,\" said
\nSiyu.<\/p>\n
Tita and Didi, whose pictures were printed in local media when
\nthey got married last year, have had to move house three times as
\ntheir neighbors would not accept them.<\/p>\n
Even though people are aware of the high-risk factor of
\nprostitution in the spread of HIV, the sex business is still
\ngoing strong. The Metastase foundation, an NGO concerned with
\nAIDS, estimates the number of sex workers in the city at 3,000.<\/p>\n
Preventive efforts have been ineffective. Research shows that
\nusing condoms is one effective means of protection from the
\npossibility of being infected with a sexual transmitted disease.
\nHowever, at various entertainment places and hotels, which are
\noften used as meeting places, it is very difficult to get
\ncondoms.<\/p>\n
Darwis, a sociologist at Hasanudin University, said it is hard
\nto change the people's lifestyle, which is now more open to
\ncasual sex. He said that the ABC Campaign (A for Abstinence, B
\nfor Be faithful and C for condom) is not enough.<\/p>\n
\"I believe more in social and religious sanctions,\" he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/many-fail-to-grasp-the-reality-of-aids-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }