On HIV moms

On HIV moms

Once again we seem to have confused the figures on HIV
infection.

In the article "HIV moms must not breastfeed" (The Jakarta
Post, July 17, page 4), it is stated that "based on data from the
Ministry of Health, during the 2001-2002 period 14,283 mothers
tested positive for HIV."

I cannot guess where these data come from. Current figures
from the Indonesian Ministry of Health (I assume we're talking of
this country?) show less than 5,000 people in total known to be
infected with HIV. The total number of new cases reported in the
two-year period 2001-2002 was 1,944, of which 663 were among
women.

The report goes on to state that only 1,730 of the babies born
to these mothers were infected. In fact, the latest figures show
a total of only 21 children under five years old reported to be
HIV infected in Indonesia.

You may wish to clarify these figures ...

CHRIS W. GREEN
Treatment Educator,
Spiritia Foundation
Jakarta