Hundreds of demonstrators demand subsidy for ARVs

Hundreds of demonstrators demand subsidy for ARVs

Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Hundreds of people held a demonstration last Saturday, demanding
the government disburse Rp 4.8 billion (US$539,325) as promised
earlier, to help people with HIV/AIDS who need to buy
antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.

The protest at the traffic circle in front of Hotel Indonesia
was supported by the Pelita Ilmu Foundation (YPI), a support
group for people with HIV/AIDS.

Cofounder of YPI Dr Samsuridjal Djauzi told The Jakarta Post
that Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi had promised on March 6 of
this year to subsidize all people with HIV/AIDS to the tune of Rp
200,000 per month, to help them purchase ARV drugs.

He explained that ARV drugs were essential for people with
HIV/AIDS to prolong their lives, as the drugs minimized the
likelihood of infection, which could cause opportunistic diseases
to spread.

In many countries such as Cuba, Brazil and South Africa, ARV
drugs have been fully subsidized by their respective governments,
to assist large numbers of people with HIV/AIDS.

"Originally, the ARV drugs were produced in the United States
and could cost one person Rp 8 million to Rp 10 million per
month," Samsuridjal said.

However, the immunologist added that India was able to
replicate the drugs without the need for extensive research,
making them much cheaper for the consumer. Indian-made ARVs were
now as cheap as Rp 500,000 on the Indonesian market.

"Therefore, financial aid is crucial, as many people have been
fired from their workplaces once it has been discovered that they
are living with HIV/AIDS," he said.

Discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS has become another
issue at workplaces, as many companies have evidently refused to
accept such people.

"Soon after the company that I worked for found out that I was
HIV-positive, they laid me off in February 2002. I have had no
source of income ever since," Yanti, 35, told The Jakarta Post.

She explained it was essential to have a source of income as
she needed to pay for her treatment, consisting of counseling,
tests, ARV drugs and painkillers that totaled Rp 650,000 per
month.

"I am at a stage where the presence of ARVs is essential to
maintain my good health. Without any income, the financial aid
will be crucial," said Yanti, who now lives at a treatment center
provided by YPI.

A national movement to increase HIV/AIDS therapy was recently
launched and has targeted about 2,000 people living with HIV/AIDS
to receive ARV in 2003. However, information on how many people
have actually received the drugs is unavailable.

It is estimated that 120,000 to 190,000 Indonesians are living
with HIV/AIDS, most of whom acquired the condition due to sharing
unsterilized needles for intravenous drug use. The figure does
not include people who have failed to report their condition, due
to fear of being stigmatized.

Papua province has recorded the most cases, as about 34
percent of the national total have occurred in the easternmost
island. Jakarta ranks second, with 32 percent of the total.

"The number is relatively low; however, we should not ignore
it by saying that it is not a serious matter.

"Next year, the government and the entire nation will be
preoccupied by other political issues. The issue of HIV/AIDS
could easily be forgotten," warned Samsuridjal.