AIDS rampant in Samarinda

AIDS rampant in Samarinda

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Samarinda is the most vulnerable city in East Kalimantan province to the spread of HIV/AIDS, activists said here on Tuesday.

Waris Husin, head of the Regional AIDS Prevention Commission (KPAD), said seven of the total 27 patients infected with the deadly virus are residents from the city of around 450,000 people.

"Most of them are commercial sex workers," he said.

He argued that Samarinda has become one of the destinations targeted by migrants owing to its relatively high economic growth.

Waris said that based on the research, the HIV/AIDS virus spread in East Kalimantan not only through sexual intercourse, but also hypodermic needles used by drug consumers.

He said Tarakan district is ranked the second city in the province, which is most vulnerable to the virus. --Antara