Sobering statistics on Indonesia in World AIDS Day commemoration

Sobering statistics on Indonesia in World AIDS Day commemoration

John Badalu, Contributor, Jakarta

World AIDS Day is coming this Sunday. Once more we are reminded
of those who have died and those now living with HIV/AIDS.

This is a condition that has no cure yet. Indonesia's
government statistics say this is a country with a low number of
AIDS cases. Is that really the case?

A recent study conducted in May to July 2002 by Aksi Stop AIDS
(ASA) reveals that we should start to worry.

ASA -- a part of Family Health International and funded by
USAID -- is a contractor in AIDS prevention programs here. They
work in 10 provinces nationwide.

ASA's research is more focused on transvestites, male
prostitutes and gay people. In a period of three months, ASA
managed to get 800 blood samples from respondents whose age
ranged from 18 to 57 years old.

The results were quite astonishing: 22 percent of
transvestites, 3.7 percent of male prostitutes and 2.5 percent
homosexual people are HIV positive.

"These numbers may look insignificant, but the problem is,
most of the infected men didn't even have a clue that they were
carrying it," said ASA's senior technical officer Elizabeth
Pizani.

Perhaps even more astonishing was that of those tested, only
15 percent of the transvestites, 33 percent of the male
prostitutes and 52 percent of the homosexuals wanted to know the
result of their own test.

"It means those who had their blood tested, do not even want
know the results. Imagine if they go around and have unsafe sex
with multiple partners, then the numbers of HIV positive cases
will increase tremendously in two to three years time," Pizani
said.

Besides the blood tests, ASA also did further studies of the
lifestyles and sexual attitudes and patterns of the people and
tried to come up with solutions.

Out of the 800 people, ASA succeeded in convincing 75 to have
further in-depth interviews.

"Not only that these three groups have unprotected sex but
also they use ecstasy pills and share needles while taking drugs
in regular private orgy parties. There is also an interesting
fact uncovered: Most male prostitutes are actually heterosexuals.
They become sex workers for economic reasons," Pizani said.

The most horrific truth that emerged from the interviews was
that 62 percent of transvestites and 53 percent of gays had
unsafe sex within the last six months.

Conducting research like this is not easy at all. ASA started
in a discreet way by giving cards to transvestites, male
prostitutes and gay people with an address and a phone number
where they could have their blood tested. This method failed
immediately.

They then recruited some transvestites, male prostitutes and
gay people to help with the research. They were given two weeks
of training before being deployed. This approach was quite
successful because in such communities, they trust their own.

ASA researchers then went around to discotheques, swimming
pools, parks and other hangout places to take blood samples. They
sometimes even built a small tent in the corner of a park, in
restrooms of a club and played hide-and-seek along with the
transvestites during the frequent police raids.

Why do these people continue to have unprotected sex even when
they know the risks behind it?

The main reason is the embarrassment to buy condoms. The
second excuse is that they just did not have any at times when
they have sex.

"To solve this, first of all, we need strong support from the
government, which still does not consider the AIDS epidemic a
priority. The distributions of condoms have to be really spread
out to all corners of the city. Can you believe that the most
popular area for gay people -- Senen -- doesn't even have a
pharmacy around that sells condoms? HIV blood test results should
also be confidential," Pizani said.

ASA is now establishing a health clinic catering to
transvestites to deal with their health needs, as most
transvestites do not know where to put themselves in a public
hospital (should I be a man or a woman?).

"So, if you change sex partners or use drugs from time to
time, do it safely. We don't want to walk with a lit candle on
World AIDS Day grieving over a friend's death. We don't want the
whole new generation collapsed just because of an irresponsible
act," she said.

For further information, suggestions or participation on AIDS
prevention program or Aksi Stop AIDS (ASA), email: info@fhi.or.id