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)