Merauke highly vulnerable to AIDS, physician says

JAKARTA (JP): Merauke, a bustling port and fishing town in southeast Irian Jaya, is highly vulnerable to the spread of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), because of the huge presence of Thai fishermen, a physician said yesterday.

Samsuridjal Djauzi, who chairs the Medical Association for AIDS, said in a presentation about his visit to Irian Jaya last month that the AIDS problem in Merauke is much more grave than officials are willing to recognize.

During the five-day stay in Merauke, three unreported cases of people with full blown AIDS were discovered, he said.

"Certainly, there are many more unreported cases out there," said the medical advisor of the Pelita Ilmu Foundation on AIDS.

Irian Jaya province ranks second after Jakarta in terms of the number of people reported to have AIDS or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). At the last count in July, 110 people in Irian Jaya tested positive for either AIDS or HIV. Of these, 81 were found in Merauke, according to official figures.

"Merauke is screaming for help. The AIDS problem is too big for the locals to face on their own," Samsuridjal said.

He was particularly disturbed by the finding of three people with AIDS during his visit: a young woman and her husband, and a 20-year-old man.

He said the virus was brought to Irian Jaya by Thai fishermen who wander freely around town.

There are now about 800 Thais working for Indonesian fishing companies in Merauke, he said.

Meanwhile, the AIDS problem may not be limited to Merauke. Some 2,000 Thai fishermen are soon expected to come to the Biak regency in the northern part of the province as well, he said.

"Many sex workers I talked to (in Merauke) speak Thai fluently. It really surprised me," Samsuridjal said, adding that he learned that the Thai fishermen rarely use condoms.

However, he did not completely blame the Thai fishermen for the rapid spread of AIDS in Irian Jaya. Many Irianese, encouraged by their culture, tend to have more than one sexual partner.

The AIDS campaign in the region must promote the use of condoms and improve health facilities, he said.

On a positive note, Samsuridjal praised the strong Irianese tolerance toward people with AIDS. "The local people accept people with AIDS as they are."

He also praised the commitment of medical workers in the area in the fight against AIDS "in spite of shortages of equipment."

In a related development yesterday, a foundation announced that it is targeting its anti-AIDS campaign at business executives and professionals.

In commemoration of the upcoming International AIDS Day, the Sehat Sejahtera (Healthy and Prosperous) Foundation is organizing a seminar on AIDS awareness, bringing in business leaders to talk about the problem and how they can contribute to the campaign, both in the workplace and at home.

"We are targeting executives because they have power and influence over their subordinates. And we hope the executives can take part in the effort to strengthen the people's AIDS awareness," foundation chairman Herman Anggoro said.

The seminar is planned for Nov. 27 at Grand Hyatt hotel and International AIDS Day falls on Dec. 1.

"Other foundations have been focusing on people in the middle to lower classes. Ours targets those at the top," Anggoro said.

Minister of Population Haryono Suyono, who directs the official anti-AIDS campaign, gave his endorsement to the foundation's plan to widen the AIDS campaign demographic targets.

The official anti-AIDS drive has focused chiefly on sex workers and homosexuals, prompting criticism from activists that the target was too narrow. (ste/05)