RSCM offers free of charge HIV screening

RSCM offers free of charge HIV screening

JAKARTA (JP): The Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM)
in Central Jakarta will be offering free testing for HIV from
Sept. 25 to Dec. 4.

"We have free tests every Monday to commemorate International
AIDS Day (Dec.1)," said Zubairi Djoerban, a member of the
hospital's special study group on AIDS (Pokdisus AIDS) yesterday.

Registration at the group's center at room G4 on the second
floor of the hospital starts from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

"We aim to spread awareness of the need to take Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) tests and to inform the public of
where they can get services to take tests and medical care for
those found to be HIV-positive," Zubairi said.

"We also hope that this program will help encourage many more
places in the country to provide these services."

Persons who might be interested in taking the test, he said,
are those who may have behavior which makes them vulnerable to
the disease.

The group includes those who may have had more than one sexual
partner, or think their partner may have had sexual intercourse
with someone else other than themselves.

Lukas Mangindaan, a psychiatrist with the hospital's AIDS
team, said that the free services, the second conducted by the
group, ensure confidentiality.

He said counseling before and after testing is an inseparable
part of the free program.

"We will inform people that if their tests are HIV-negative,
this does not mean immunity for life against HIV and AIDS," Lukas
said. "We will counsel them on how to remain negative."

"If their behavior entails risks we would advise them to
return in another two months," he said, in view of the "window
period" in which a previously undetected virus may come up in a
following test.

Lukas said the counseling will also prepare people who test
HIV positive, "or else someone may immediately commit suicide".

Last year's free program was conducted once a month, but
because of the considerable response, this year's free services
are being provided once a week, Zubairi said.

There was an average of 35 to 40 people who came for
counseling in one day in three sessions last year. At least one
of them was found to be HIV positive, he said.

The national figures on HIV/AIDS reveal an additional 10
affected people, totaling the official record to 326 since 1987.

This consists of 78 full-blown AIDS cases, of which 50 have
died, and 248 HIV positive persons. The highest figures of
HIV/AIDS are in Jakarta with 111, followed by 74 in Irian Jaya
and 33 in Bali.

Fifty of the cases in Irian were Thai fishermen who have
returned to their country. (anr)