Most HIV/AIDS sufferers in N. Sulawesi male

Most HIV/AIDS sufferers in N. Sulawesi male

MANADO, North Sulawesi: Some 14 of 18 AIDS and HIV sufferers in North Sulawesi are men.

Lili Gerungan, chief of the local health office, said at a press conference here on Saturday that nine sufferers had tested positive for AIDS while nine others had tested positive for HIV.

Gerundungan explained that eight of the sufferers between ages 20 and 30, who were mostly working as either sailors or sex workers, had died from the disease, while the others were under supervision by health officials.

Data shows Indonesia has some 2,313 HIV/AIDS sufferers, with Jakarta having the highest reported incidence of the disease.

The chief of the Prevention of Contagious Diseases Office in the province, Nova Lumentut, said that her office and local NGOs have taken various measures to prevent the disease from spreading, including the promotion of the use of condoms, and encouraging people to have regular medical check-ups.

Camille Lemouchoux, program manager of the HIV-AIDS Prevention Project, explained that increased cooperation between local NGOs and journalists would help in eradicating HIV/AIDS. --Antara