Sidoarjo Health Office Denies Viral Claim of 500 Students with HIV/AIDS, Real Data Shows 53 Cases

The Sidoarjo District Health Office (Dinkes) has denied a viral rumour circulating on social media claiming that the number of students exposed to HIV/AIDS in the area has reached more than 500. Head of the Sidoarjo District Health Office, Lakhsmie Herawati Yuwantina, stressed that the information spreading in the community does not match the real data on the ground. Based on cumulative data from the Sidoarjo Health Office from 2001 to 2026, there were 60 recorded cases of HIV/AIDS in the 11 to 17 age group. Of that total, 7 children have been reported dead, leaving 53 active cases of students currently identified with HIV/AIDS. In addition to the student group data, the Sidoarjo Health Office also released cumulative data for the 0 to 10 age group, which recorded 117 cases. Of these, 35 children have died, while 50 children are lost to follow-up, and the remaining 32 children are still actively identified and undergoing treatment. Lakhsmie added that the 32 actively identified children are currently under medical supervision and regularly taking Antiretroviral (ARV) medication.