Condom use still a major challenge to preventing HIV
Condom use still a major challenge to preventing HIV
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta
Despite continuous campaigning, awareness among high-risk groups
of the benefit of using condoms remains a cause for concern among
activists fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS here.
"With between three million and five million men buying sex on
a regular basis and rarely using condoms to protect themselves,
we will certainly see thousands of new infections, not just among
men but among their wives and children," United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) Director of the Office of
Health Lynn Krueger Adrian said on Saturday.
She was speaking during the launch of a wayang puppet show as
a means to disseminate information on the risks of unprotected
sex and injecting drug use.
Ignorance over the use condoms in the sex industry and the
increase in the number of youths injecting drugs and sharing
unsterile needles have been blamed for the rapid spread of the
virus in the country.
The Ministry of Health estimates that up to 130,000 people
have been infected with the virus while up to six million others
are at risk.
Data from the non-governmental organization the AIDS
Eradication Commission (KKI) reveals that up to 3.5 million men
are buying sex on a regular basis in the country, but only 14
percent of them use condoms.
In some provinces the prevalence rate is considered high with
one or more sex workers in 20 infected with the virus through
their customers.
Elizabeth Pisani of the Family Health International-sponsored
Stop AIDS Action (ASA) said in Surakarta, for example, one in
seven sex workers had the virus.
"Only by putting an end to high-risk behavior and reducing the
number of high-risk people can the spread of the HIV be
controlled," she said.
The campaign's inaugural performance featured renowned
puppeteer Ki Enthus Susmono of Tegal, Central Java, held in the
compound of Surakarta Palace.
The HIV Indonesia Forum, ASA, KKI, USAID, Land O'Lakes. Inc.,
are sponsoring the program, in cooperation with the National
Secretariat of Indonesian Puppets (Senawangi) and the Association
of Indonesian Puppeteers (Pepadi) to mark World AIDS Day which
falls on Dec. 1.
Injecting drug use is another challenge in the fight against
HIV/AIDS, due to the fact that the HIV prevalence rate among drug
users in cities throughout the country stands at up to 60
percent.
"This is not an isolated problem. Drug users will infect non-
drug users, they will have sexual partners, wives, and many will
have children," Lynn Krueger Adrian said.
The National Narcotics Body (BNN) has estimated that around
one million Indonesians are using drugs and up to 145,000 of them
are injecting heroin and sharing needles among themselves.