Papuans use condoms to limit HIV/AIDS

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

"Want a condom? Just go to that 'ATM'," said a woman attending a stall during a HIV/AIDS exhibition at Saga Mall in Jayapura, pointing to a vending machine next to her.

She did not use the term ATM completely inaccurately.

"We use the term ATM for the condom vending machine to get people's attention because it works in a similar way. At the ATM we insert our ATM card and money comes out, while at the vending machine, we put in our money and our choice of condom will come out," said Iskandar of Papua's National Family Planning Board (BKKBN).

For those wanting to buy a condom, they only need to insert three Rp 500 coins in the vending machine and then pick the condom of their choice -- with flavors including strawberry, chocolate and vanilla. After making a choice, all they need to do is press a button and a box of three condoms will come out.

"I love the chocolate flavor, it smells really like chocolate," said Anang, a visitor who bought a box of condoms through the machine.

The machine, donated by PT Freeport Indonesia to the BKKBN office in Jakarta, can accommodate 300 boxes of condoms.

"We check the machine every three days. When the condoms have run out, we refill it with new ones," Iskandar said.

The move is one of the efforts taken to help curb the widespread HIV/AIDS in the province, which has the highest number of people living with the virus in the country.

The seven condom vending machines received were distributed to six regencies -- one each for Biak, Jayapura, Manokwari, Merauke, and Sorong and two units for Timika.

"This 'ATM' machine is really helpful in curbing HIV/AIDS in Papua. Many times people are reluctant to buy condoms at drug stores but with this machine, they won't be ashamed to get one. All they need to do is put in the money and the condom comes out," said Papua deputy governor Constant Karma.

The vending machines will be placed at red-light districts to provide easy access for those wanting to use them. In Jayapura regency, for instance, it will be placed in Tanjung Elmo red- light district.

Karma said that as of March 2005, there were 1,874 people in Papua living with HIV/AIDS, 743 of whom had already developed AIDS.

The World Health Organization, however, estimates the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Papua, at between 13,000 and 15,000 people out of the province's 2.4 million people.

"If we don't deal with the HIV/AIDS problem, we'll see more people living with HIV/AIDS in the next five years. The use of condoms might help quickly curb the spread of the virus," Karma said.