Zubairi against discrimination of HIV carriers<\/p>\n
By Renata Arianingtyas<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): AIDS campaigner Zubairi Djoerban has many
\nconcerns, including some people's tendency to discriminate those
\nwho have Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or the Acquired
\nImmune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).<\/p>\n
\"Even people with a good knowledge about HIV\/AIDS do so. They
\ncan't help treating people with AIDS differently,\" he told The
\nJakarta Post recently.<\/p>\n
Out of his concern, Zubairi campaigned to familiarize the use
\nof \"Odha\", an Indonesian acronym for Orang dengan HIV\/AIDS
\n(people with HIV\/AIDS), and \"Ohidha\" or Orang yang hidup dengan
\nHIV\/AIDS (people living with HIV\/AIDS, including the spouse,
\nchildren, parents, siblings and friends). He hoped the terms
\nwould eventually replace \"HIV\/AIDS victims\" or \"sufferers\".<\/p>\n
Zubairi's name is inseparable from the Pelita Ilmu Foundation,
\na non-governmental AIDS organization. He obtained his doctorate
\nin France and learned about leukemia when he first came into
\ncontact with people with HIV\/AIDS. He became interested in
\nresearch about the T-Helper, an element in lymphocytes that
\nregulates human's immunity system.<\/p>\n
Returning home in 1983, he studied the presence of the T-
\nHelper in the blood of prostituting transvestites in Pasar
\nRumput, South Jakarta. He began talking about the syndrome to his
\ncolleagues in 1984. The following year, he began the HIV test at
\nCipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.<\/p>\n
In 1987, the first HIV\/AIDS positive person was reported in
\nIndonesia. The foreigner could not return to his country because
\nall airlines refused to transport him. Zubairi took care of the
\npatient until after he was well enough to go home.<\/p>\n
Zubairi said the experience was an eye-opener. He realized
\nthat the fight against discrimination was an important element in
\nthe campaign against AIDS.<\/p>\n
\"People with HIV or AIDS are like the rest of us, human beings
\nwho need friends to support their fight against their illness,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"They have to face criticism and rejection by society. This is
\nwhat makes them feel down and sick,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Together with his wife Sri Wahyuningsih and friend
\nSymasuridjal, Zubairi founded the Pelita Ilmu in 1989.<\/p>\n
Zubairi and the Pelita Ilmu have spent a lot of energy
\neducating youths on the dangers of HIV and AIDS. Since 1989, it
\nhas provided courses and lectures on the subject for 402 senior
\nhigh schools throughout the country.<\/p>\n
The problem of funding has been gradually alleviated since
\n1992, with assistance from AusAid, the World Bank, the British
\nCouncil, Ford Foundation, the World Health Organization and the
\nIndonesian government.<\/p>\n
Last year, the Pelita Ilmu launched similar lectures for
\njunior high school teachers. The Ministry of Education and
\nCulture later took over the program and incorporated it into the
\ncurriculum.<\/p>\n
Zubairi said the vast area of the archipelago and its
\npopulation size are obstacles in the AIDS campaign.<\/p>\n
Limited funds also hamper many of the programs, including the
\nprovision of medical care for people with HIV\/AIDS, training for
\nvolunteers, and public education efforts.<\/p>\n
Zubairi said volunteers need to have good communication
\nskills. \"Educating the public about HIV\/AIDS is an uphill
\nbattle,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said many people were aware of the problem, but do not
\nfully comprehend the situation. They have yet to reach the so-
\ncalled \"level of understanding\" which can motivate them to change
\ntheir attitude toward people with HIV\/AIDS, he said.<\/p>\n
But hard work pays off, he said. He recalled trying to build a
\nhouse where volunteers and people with HIV\/AIDS could mingle, but
\nresidents in Tebet, South Jakarta rejected the idea. He spent
\nmonths negotiating and convincing the locals to change their
\nminds.<\/p>\n
\"Now, they are joining us in our support of the Odhas,\" he
\nsaid. \"This house proves to society that living with people with
\nHIV\/AIDS is not horrible. It's a good lesson for many people to
\nlearn to treat the Odhas humanely.\"<\/p>\n
He said there was more than one example of increased
\nawareness. In the past, companies fired employees who were
\ninfected with HIV\/AIDS. Many companies have since canceled the
\npolicy, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, there has been a lax in the enforcement of
\nlaws that could prevent the number of HIV\/AIDS people from
\nincreasing,\" he said, citing lenient sanctions against rapists or
\nthe absence of laws against, among other things, prostitution.<\/p>\n
He said that in many developed countries, minors were
\nprohibited from buying alcoholic beverages, whereas Indonesian
\nyouths could obtain the goods more easily.<\/p>\n
\"Drinking leads youths to illegal actions, including sexual
\nintercourse,\" he said, adding that 70 percent to 80 percent of
\nHIV cases were caused through sexual contact.<\/p>\n
The Pelita Ilmu has so far helped take care of 77 people with
\nHIV\/AIDS. Their average age is 30 years old, with 45.3 percent
\nfrom the socioeconomic middle class, 39.1 percent from the lower
\nclass, and 15.6 percent from the affluent.<\/p>\n
Fifty-three percent of cases were Moslem, 40.6 percent
\nChristian, 4.7 percent Buddhist and 1.6 percent Hindu. Three of
\nthem were from Malaysia and Thailand.<\/p>\n
Zubairi lectures at the University of Indonesia's Medical
\nSchool and heads the Indonesian AIDS Society. His wife and three
\nchildren have supported him in the AIDS campaign. Two of his
\nchildren, psychology student Dini Nur Astari and senior high
\nschool student Dono Nur Indarto, have been trained as volunteers
\nfor the AIDS campaign.<\/p>\n
\"I really enjoy being involved in the campaign,\" Zubairi said.
\n\"The experiences have opened my mind. I have learned about the
\nmeaning of life. And I hope people will do the same thing,
\nespecially for the Odhas, people with HIV and AIDS.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/zubairi-against-discrimination-of-hiv-carriers-1447893297",
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