Mega calls for a nationwide HIV/AIDS movement

Dewi Santoso and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri called on Monday for a sustainable national movement on HIV/AIDS, saying the virus posed a real threat to the country.

"It doesn't matter whether HIV/AIDS is a result of sexual activity or sharing needles among injecting drug users; HIV/AIDS has become a national issue," Megawati said in a speech at the State Palace during the national commemoration of World AIDS Day, which fell on Dec. 1.

Global data indicates that by the end of 2002, 42 million people were infected with HIV/AIDS, of which 21.9 million had died. Data from the Ministry of Health shows that 3,942 people were infected with HIV/AIDS in 29 provinces across the country as of Sept. 30 this year.

Megawati said the government, in cooperation with the National AIDS Commission (KPA), both central and regional, had set up a continuing campaign to prevent and curb the condition from spreading.

She expected the campaign to gain full support from society, no matter how difficult the treatment and care of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) might be.

"We need to explain to the public that they have nothing to fear by befriending PLWHA," she said.

In a graphic demonstration of her statement the President spoke to two young PLWHA and shook their hands during the commemoration. Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, who also chairs the KPA, Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi and Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah were also present at the commemoration.

Megawati asserted that not only did PLWHA have to bear the burden of their state of health and their costly and sometimes hard-to-obtain treatment; they also had to suffer from stigma and discrimination by the public, which isolated them from society.

As part of the commemoration, the President witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Ministry of Health on the program to fight HIV/AIDS among intravenous drug users.

The government also launched five different generic antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, which would be produced by PT Kimia Farma, a local pharmaceutical company. Hiviral, Reviral, Duviral, Neviral and Triviral will be sold at approximately Rp 400,000 (US$47.06) per monthly package before subsidy. The price is expected to drop to Rp 200,000 after government subsidy.

PT Kimia Farma is expected to start production of the ARV drugs in Jan. 2004, providing 2,000 PLWHA with the drugs at a cost of Rp 4.8 billion.

Earlier in the day, Sujudi launched a book on guidance on the care, support and treatment of PLWHA.

The book provides information on the virus, its clinical classification according to WHO, and the symptoms, care, support for and treatment of PLWHA.

Included in its content are practical steps for the care of PLWHA of all ages.

Director General of Communicable Diseases Umar Fahmi Ahmadi said 3,000 copies of the book would be printed and distributed to health agencies, state hospitals and non-governmental organizations such as the Spiritia, Pelita Ilmu (YPI) and Kusuma Buana foundations, at nil cost.

Funded by the Indonesian government in cooperation with Family Health International, the United States Agency for International Development and Canada, is that the Canadian government? the book's production cost was approximately US$7,500, Steve Wignall of the Axis of AIDS said.