On AIDS awareness at a price

On AIDS awareness at a price

In response to the letter from Dr. Walbran from Gandhi
Memorial International School (April 26, 1997) titled AIDS
awareness for students at a price, we would like to clarify as
follows:

The University of Indonesia's School of Medicine's Pokdisus
AIDS Center (located at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital) is actively
implementing three programs, i.e. research (basic science,
clinical, and behavior); education; and public services, mainly
in the care of AIDS patients.

We are also active in "preparing" hospitals to admit AIDS
patients and helping other groups in setting up counseling
services by organizing training sessions.

The programs are funded solely by the Pokdisus AIDS Center,
with the unavoidable consequence that a fee was asked to cover
the costs of the three-hour sessions. However, we apologize for
the miscommunication and the "exorbitant" fee of Rp 350,000
Gandhi Memorial International School was charged. Had we known of
the difficulty, we actually have educational sessions given free
of charge for those in the community who cannot afford to pay.

I hope the incident has not deterred Gandhi Memorial
International School from seeking the much-needed AIDS
information for its students, and we extend an invitation to
attend our educational sessions free of charge.

PROF. DR. A. HARRYANTO REKSODIPUTRO

Chairman of Pokdisus AIDS FKUI

Jakarta