Annan advocates open talks to slow the spread of AIDS
Annan advocates open talks to slow the spread of AIDS
JAKARTA (JP): AIDS is still incurable, but the spread of HIV
can be slowed by talking openly about AIDS and sexual behavior,
according to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
"Many countries, including a handful in the developing world,
have slowed the spread of HIV by talking openly about AIDS and
sexual behavior...," Annan said in a speech to mark the
observance of World AIDS Day on Tuesday.
In dealing with the issue, he said, those countries also
showed solidarity with those already infected and made
information about prevention and support available to everyone.
Another thing which is important in the effort to prevent the
spread of HIV/AIDS is the involvement of young people, as about
half of all HIV infections occur in people aged 15 to 24.
"Young people are a powerful influence for education and
understanding in the family, their peer groups, their schools,
their communities and their countries," Annan said.
He said that the most important message the UN could convey
was that "we are not powerless against the epidemic".
"Experience tells us that prevention efforts are especially
likely to pay off among young people, by teaching them to adopt
safe behavior from the start," Kofi said.
"By the end of this month, the number of adults and children
living with HIV will exceed 33 million, 10 percent more than a
year ago."
AIDS, he said, had already taken 14 million lives. At least 95
percent of all infections and deaths occurred in the developing
world, where the costly new medicines that can help prolong the
lives are rarely available or affordable.
"So the truth is that AIDS is still an emerging epidemic --
one that is killing more people every year than malaria. Because
the victims are mostly young adults, who would otherwise be
raising families and supporting the economy, the repercussions
are reaching crisis level."
In Indonesia, as of October this year, the government has
registered 776 people with HIV/AIDS. Of these, 42 were aged
between 15 and 19 and 368 were of between 20 and 29 years old.
Various campaigns have been conducted to slow down the spread
of HIV/AIDS here.
The Ministry of Health's director general of the prevention of
communicable diseases, Achmad Sujudi, has said that to mark World
AIDS Day, President B.J. Habibie was scheduled to meet, shake
hands and talk with people with HIV/AIDS.
On Nov. 29, Pelita Ilmu Foundation organized an information
exhibition on HIV/AIDS, a poster contest and music concert at the
Ancol Arts Market in North Jakarta.
Free public HIV tests are being offered for three months by
the University of Indonesia's School of Medicine from Tuesday.
Apart from conducting the free tests, the school's study group
held a one-day seminar on surgery on people with HIV/AIDS on Nov.
27. (ste)