HIV patients still fear discrimination

HIV patients still fear discrimination

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Rohana of Bukit Duri, South Jakarta, is still grieving for her
nephew, who spent the last three months of his life in hospital.

"He was never told what was making him so ill, as other family
members were reluctant to say," she said on Tuesday.

Rohana said her nephew died of kidney failure, but the doctor
finally declared he had developed AIDS. "It must have been
because of his past sex life," she said.

If a person with HIV/AIDS does not want to talk about how they
were infected, for whatever reason, society may be quick to make
assumptions about their past behavior. This is one reason why
many people are reluctant to undergo a blood test, even if they
suspect that they are HIV positive.

"Only 5 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS in Jakarta are
recorded by the City Health Agency. Most of them refuse to have
their blood tested," agency head Abdul Chalik Masulili said.

The agency is not at liberty to force individuals to take a
blood test, which would be a human rights violation.

"Many people with the virus are reluctant to go to hospital
for health checks. They fear discrimination, not just from
society, but from members of their own family," he said.

Blood tests for HIV/AIDS are available at Cipto Mangunkusumo
General Hospital, Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, Soekanto Police
Hospital, Fatmawati Hospital, Soelianti Saroso Infection
Hospital, Mintohardjo Navy Hospital, Persahabatan Hospital,
Dharmais Cancer Hospital and Duren Sawit Hospital.

Agency spokeswoman Zelvino asked Jakartans to be prepared to
have their blood taken, rather than being afraid due to
discrimination. She said that trained staff members are on hand
to provide counseling in the event that a test comes back
positive.

Data from the agency suggests that the number of people with
HIV/AIDS in the city has reached 1,282, or 25 percent of the
national total of 4,389. However, experts are quick to point out
that the actual number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the
country is probably much higher.