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