Sultra Health Office collaborates with Quarantine Agency to strengthen HIV screening for arrivals

Kendari (ANTARA) - The Southeast Sulawesi Provincial Health Office (Sultra) has enlisted the Quarantine Agency to strengthen the HIV/AIDS infectious disease screening process for residents arriving and entering the Anoa Land region.

Head of the Sultra Health Office, Andi Edy Surahmat, stated when met in Kendari on Thursday that this step was taken following the discovery of 123 new HIV/AIDS cases in Sultra in the first quarter, or the January-March 2026 period, where high population mobility in the industrial and mining sectors is considered one of the main triggers of spread.

He mentioned that based on Health Office data, Kendari City and Baubau City are the areas with the highest case concentrations.

“As a transit area with dense port activities, Baubau has a greater risk of transmission, while Kendari serves as a meeting point for economic and government activities,” he said.

Edy Surahmat revealed that in addition to mobility factors, there is also a shift in risky behavioural trends. Currently, the most cases are found in the men who have sex with men (MSM) group, followed by female sex workers.

He explained that besides strengthening physical screening at regional entry points, the Sultra Health Office has also instructed district and city levels to conduct more intensive educational approaches to the public and at-risk groups.

The education covers understanding transmission methods, the importance of early detection through health tests, and the application of healthy living patterns. These efforts are carried out in a hybrid manner, both through face-to-face meetings and online media.

“We are also involving religious figures and community leaders to strengthen prevention messages from a social perspective. Through this cross-sectoral collaboration, it is hoped that public awareness will increase, thereby significantly suppressing HIV transmission rates,” he said.