Merauke highly vulnerable to AIDS, physician says

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)