Most people with HIV abuse drugs

JAKARTA: The City Commission for AIDS Control (KPAD) revealed on Monday that around 62 percent of the 25,293 AIDS/HIV patients in the city are drug abusers who use hypodermic needles.

KPAD secretary Syafi'i Dahlan told the City Council's Commission E for health, education, and people's welfare that his office was powerless to curb HIV spread as long as the city failed to curb the distribution of narcotics in society.

Dahlan said the number of HIV positive people was increasing in tandem with the rampant use of narcotics.

According to Dahlan, other people who are at high risk of being infected with HIV include sex workers and prisoners.

Dahlan said his commission needed support from all parties to curb the spread of HIV.

The city administration will increase the commission's budget in a bid to boost efforts to curb the spread of HIV. Last year, the city only allocated Rp 1 billion (US$107,500) to the commission, but this year it has allocated Rp 6.5 billion.

The funds will be used to strengthen the structural organization of the commission, including the hiring of permanent staff.

Members of the commission are government officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations.--JP