Baby calls for less AIDS bigotry

Baby calls for less AIDS bigotry

JAKARTA: AIDS activist Baby Jim Aditya called on people not to discriminate against people with AIDS.

"AIDS victims are depressed enough as it is. Let's help encourage them to deal with their condition," she said on Tuesday at the launch of her website on AIDS www.babyjimaditya.com in Bale Air, Central Jakarta.

Known for helping people with AIDS and disseminating information on AIDS prevention, Baby will stage a talk show on AIDS and drug addiction with Dr. Zubairi Djoerban, designer Robby Tumewu and singer Oppie Andaresta at Bale Air on Dec. 1 at 8 p.m.

She expressed concern about the unreported AIDS cases in Indonesia, which are estimated to number some 80,000 (as released by the World Health Organization) while the ministry of health's report officially confirmed just 2,313 cases.

"There is a low prevalence of AIDS in Indonesia but the infection rate is high due to risky behavior.

"I'm afraid that if men remain ignorant about the dangers of AIDS, women will continue to deliver babies with AIDS in 10 or 20 years time.

Baby also shared her dream to set up a shelter for people with AIDS, in particular those abandoned by their families.

"In the long term, I hope to establish a foundation that will set up shelters for AIDS victims." -- JP