AIDS-awareness campaign begins with the family
AIDS-awareness campaign begins with the family
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto launched a nationwide AIDS- awareness campaign yesterday, putting the onus on families to prevent, and fight against, the deadly disease.
"AIDS will damage the nation's strength. Therefore we must prevent the spread of this disease from as early as possible," he said in a ceremony marking the launching of Gerakan Pembangunan Keluarga Sejahtera Sadar AIDS (family AIDS-awareness movement).
He called on families not to hide or isolate sufferers of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), or those who have the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), because such actions will only cause further damage and hamper treatment of the sick.
"We have to fight this disease. We will take sensible measures, ways which will not create panic. The main fortress against the onslaught of AIDS resides within every family," he told those present at the ceremony, which coincided with the launching of month-long activities for Village Self-Reliant Groups.
The annual event was held in the Manunggal Jaya village, Kutai Regency, in the East Kalimantan province, 1,100 km (688 miles) northeast of Jakarta.
Also attending were First Lady Mrs. Tien Soeharto, Minister of Health Sujudi, State Minister for Population Haryono Suyono, Minister of Home Affairs Yogie S.M. and Minister/Cabinet Secretary Saadilah Mursjid.
"Experts know how AIDS spreads. They also know that living together, day after day, with infected people does not endanger others and does not spread the disease," Soeharto said.
"Therefore, isolating people who are sick or those who are infected with HIV will not be useful. It will hamper the prevention activities," Soeharto said.
"We must not be late. If we're late, this nation will fall into destruction," Soeharto warned.
AIDS was first reported in Indonesia in 1987. Health officials said that as of last December 67 Indonesians have AIDS and at least 208 others have tested HIV positive, which can cause AIDS.
But the officials said the actual HIV figure could be 200 times higher, and could reach 500,000 by the end of this year.
The AIDS-awareness campaign was launched so that "every Indonesian family would know the various ways and means of preventing the dangerous disease," Soeharto said.
The "aware-of-AIDS" families are "those who believe and are beware of God and are able to carry out prevention or treatment programs for AIDS sufferers," Soeharto said.
"We should accelerate such activities in the future through related programs," he said. "The public should be informed of healthy living habits, in relation to the prevention of the disease."
Villages
The month-long campaign for self-reliant villages is held annually, and is usually marked with the establishment of various movements to spur rural development and promote welfare.
Yesterday, Soeharto called for such development through the improvement of education and eradication of illiteracy.
"We have to do even more than what we have been doing," he said. "The most important effort is to improve the education of our children. This is an absolute necessity."
He called for special attention toward the education of girls.
"I am asking for special attention, so that there is no girl between the ages of seven and fifteen who doesn't go to school."
"Every girl in rural areas has to go to school," he said. "These girls will be the mothers of future Indonesian families."
The President also reminded citizens to persuade school graduates to stay in, and develop, their own village. "We have to provide every family with the opportunity to develop itself, its village and its surroundings."
Only with such an approach can villages become "increasingly productive, attractive and a pleasant environment", Soeharto said. (swe)