HIV/AIDS Cases in Semarang Regency Dominated by Productive Age Group

The group most affected by HIV/AIDS in Semarang Regency is the productive age group of 26-30 years, and three cases have even been found among school pupils and university students. The Semarang Regency Government continues to aggressively conduct HIV/AIDS screening, involving 19 community health centres (puskesmas) and four hospitals in the area to provide treatment for the immune-deficiency disease. As part of HIV/AIDS treatment measures, not only are medical doctors deployed but also psychological consultations are routinely carried out to monitor the condition of the virus in patients’ bodies, especially since negative stigma from the community still exists, causing people to remain fearful of getting tested. Although HIV/AIDS cases in Semarang Regency are still considered low compared to other regions, the phenomenon occurring with these cases remains a concern because cases are found in the productive group and even among school pupils and university students. “Up to last April, recorded HIV/AIDS cases in Semarang Regency remained the same as the previous year, at 45 cases, but what is surprising is the productive age group,” said Endah Indriati Wurjaningrum, Head of the Disease Prevention and Control Division of the Semarang Regency Health Office. Of that number, Endah Indriati Wurjaningrum revealed that 73 per cent of HIV cases were in men, while 27 per cent were in women, and the most contributing causal factor for HIV/AIDS cases was risky sexual behaviour with multiple partners or casual sex, which accounted for 80 per cent of total cases. According to Endah Indriati Wurjaningrum, three cases occurred among school pupils and university students due to casual sex, and within this category, homosexual groups also contributed 11 cases, or 24 per cent of total cases originating from same-sex relations. In tracing sexual partners, Endah Indriati Wurjaningrum continued, it remains one of the challenges in HIV/AIDS prevention and control efforts, because some sufferers have more than one partner, making it difficult for officers when conducting partner tracing for further examination. “The level of public awareness to take an HIV/AIDS test is indeed still low; based on the set target, it has only reached 60 per cent,” she added.