Sex workers join anti-AIDS campaign

Sex workers join anti-AIDS campaign

JAKARTA (JP): Sex workers and gay activists will stage a play
and music performances at Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail
Marzuki in Central Jakarta on Oct. 21.

"The performance is a part of campaign against AIDS (Acquired
Immuno Deficiency Syndrome)," said Gindi Marina, spokesperson for
the organizer.

Apart from the working girls of the Kramat Tunggak red-light
district, North Jakarta, and the activists, students will also
take part in the shows, which will also feature an AIDS
exhibition.

The event is being organized by the Kusuma Buana and Mitra
Indonesia foundations in cooperation with the City Health Office,
the National Family Planning Coordinating Board and the
Ciptomangunkusumo hospital.

"We want to use art works in our anti-AIDS campaign," Gindi
told The Jakarta Post yesterday, adding that several
organizations will take part in the program, including the Pelita
Ilmu foundation, Indonesia AIDS foundation, Pelopor Maju Mandiri
foundation, the AIDS study group of Ciptomangunkusumo hospital,
and the privately-owned Family Planning Association.

"We hope that the involvement of the sex workers in the
campaign will trigger other people to be more aware of the lethal
virus."

While the public is now accepting AIDS sufferers as they are,
she criticized the hospitals that continue to forbid treatment to
AIDS patients.

Last month the private Medistra hospital refused to accept
several AIDS patients and prohibited its doctors from treating
them.

Preventing the spread of AIDS, which is caused by the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus, has become the cause of several activists
and organizations.

Two weeks ago the Pelita Ilmu foundation inaugurated an AIDS
clinic on Jl. Tebet Timur Dalam VIII Q no. 6, South Jakarta. The
clinic provides AIDS consultation and blood testing.

Jakarta has Indonesia's highest number of AIDS/HIV-infected
people. The latest Ministry of Health data has 61 HIV-positive
and 44 AIDS sufferers listed in the city.

By comparison, there are 22 HIV-positive and 11 AIDS sufferers
in Bali (second), while in West Java (third) there are eight AIDS
sufferers and six who have tested HIV-positive.(29)