On prisons for HIV/AIDS carriers

I was shocked to read the letter by Andi Abdussalam in The Jakarta Post on April 11 concerning the increasing number of inmates testing positive for HIV/AIDS in Salemba Penitentiary. I was even more amazed to read his suggestion of effectively establishing an apartheid system to create separate prisons for HIV positive and negative prisoners.

Surely, in the 21st century, we want to move away from a community that outcasts HIV/AIDS carriers and learn to be more supportive, helping them to continue to live their lives as best they can, whether behind bars or in society? What Andi Abdussalam suggests is preposterous and perhaps he needs to educate himself correctly on how the virus is actually spread.

The implementation of a successful government health education program would be a more humane and practical solution than damning the infected to an isolation ward. We no longer live in the Dark Ages.

CATHY JONES

Jakarta