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.