Most IDUs use unclean syringes, says ex-user<\/p>\n
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives held a discussion on Wednesday
\nfocused on giving injecting drug users (IDUs) easy access to
\nsterile syringes to contain the rapid spread of the Human Immuno-
\ndeficiency Virus (HIV) among them.<\/p>\n
"It is hard to get sterile syringes and therefore IDUs tend to
\nshare syringes, a way that makes it easy for them to get infected
\nwith HIV\/AIDS," Yoga, an ex-IDU now living with HIV, said on
\nWednesday in a public dialog at the House compound.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, only medical doctors can legally obtain
\nsyringes. IDUs get them from the black market, where they are
\nhard to find and expensive, so they usually used them
\ncollectively, said Yoga.<\/p>\n
Spokesperson for Family Health International (FHI) Pandu Riono
\ntold The Jakarta Post that only 6 percent of IDUs in the Jakarta,
\nBandung and Surabaya areas their own sterile syringes.<\/p>\n
"In Jakarta, 25 out of every 1,000 high school students
\ninjects illegal drugs," he said, suggesting that many thousands
\nof young people were sharing needles.<\/p>\n
IDUs usually have places to store syringes secretly and go
\nthere when they need them.<\/p>\n
"In Kampung Bali, a notorious drug-trafficking area in Central
\nJakarta, 115 out of 117 IDUs who volunteered to get an HIV test
\nwere found positive," said Pandu.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Health, Pelita Ilmu Foundation (YPI) and FHI
\nwill do a trial cooperation in the monitoring of the developments
\nof IDUs in Kampung Bali, supplying them with sterile syringes,
\nsaid Pandu.<\/p>\n
"However, if we or anyone other than doctors hand over
\nsyringes to IDUs, we could be considered in violation of the
\nlaw," he said.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi said that his
\nministry had discussions with the national police on the
\npossibility of giving sterile syringes to IDUs, but no agreement
\nhad yet been reached.<\/p>\n
Wednesday's dialog was part of a one-week campaign to educate
\nHouse members about the HIV\/AIDS epidemic, so they will some
\nunderstanding when a related bill is deliberated upon.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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