Pelita Ilmu Foundation clarifies<\/p>\n
Referred to your article titled HIV\/AIDS activists collaborate
\nwith police, published in your May 21 issue and written by Dewi
\nSantoso, I, as the manager of the program, would like to make the
\nfollowing comments:<\/p>\n
The information your reporter got from Indonesian HIV\/AIDS
\nPrevention and Care Project (IHPCP) adviser Palani Narayanan is
\nnot true, particularly as stated in paragraph ten and eleven of
\nthe article which reads as follows:
\n\"We'll train 60 police officers every month, with two weeks of
\ntheory and one week of field practice when we'll take them to
\nmeet members of non-governmental organization (NGO) appointed to
\ndistribute the methadone and collect disposable needles, said
\nIHPCP adviser Palani Narayanan.<\/p>\n
\"The Three NGOs that are appointed for the program are Atma
\nJaya University Kiosk, which covers Duren Sawit in East Jakarta;
\nthe University of Indonesia which covers the Depok area; and the
\nPelita Ilmu Foundation (YPI), which covers Kampung Bali in
\nCentral Jakarta. 'This way, we hope the police officers will
\nunderstand what the harm reduction program is and cooperate with
\nthe NGO workers,' said Narayanan.\"<\/p>\n
As the representative of the Pelita Ilmu Foundation, one of
\nthe NGOs mentioned in the article, I would like to explain our
\nreservations as follows:
\n* The IHPCP has never appointed nor entered into any form of
\ncooperation with the Pelita Ilmu Foundation to distribute
\nmethadone and collect disposable needles in Kampung Bali.
\n* In fact, the Pelita Ilmu Foundation has been running it's own
\nharm reduction program since 2000 in collaboration with the local
\ncommunity and the police. Our outreach program has been
\nsuccessful in helping around 1389 drug users to reduce their risk
\nof HIV infection and escape addiction.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Needle Exchange Program has only been offered
\nto selected IDUs coming from previous detoxification programs.
\nThese are people who have shown strong commitment and adherence,
\nand who are willing to go through an interview and counseling
\nprocess. Some of them have also been trained to become effective
\noutreach officers in the field. They also help to conduct
\nVoluntary HIV Counselling and Testing (VCT), which to date has
\nbeen participated in by 198 IDUs.<\/p>\n
PUNGKY DJOKO
\nManager of Kampung Bali Program
\nPelita Ilmu Foundation
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Note: The article was written based on interviews with the
\nIndonesian HIV\/AIDS Prevention and Care Project (IHPCP) and the
\nJakarta National AIDS Commission.<\/p>\n
--Editor<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pelita-ilmu-foundation-clarifies-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }