'We must respect them as human beings'

The World Health Organization has called on countries to set specific national targets for the treatment of women and girls with HIV/AIDS, and to take measures to ensure equitable access to AIDS prevention and treatment services for the commemoration of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. The Jakarta Post asked city residents how they would cope if one of their family members was a person living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

Zulkarnain, 30, is employed by a private company on Jl. Sudirman, South Jakarta. He lives in Bintaro, Tangerang:

It is hard to imagine someone from my family developing AIDS, which is still incurable. The best thing I could do would be to prevent other family members from becoming infected.

But I agree with AIDS activists who say that we must not isolate people with HIV/AIDS. We must respect them as human beings who have the right to enjoy their lives.

If an HIV positive person is from a poor family, they must get help, be it from the government or the public -- maybe through charity foundations. We must try to ease the struggle of their families by giving them free medicine.

However, the most important thing is to educate people on how to lead healthy lives and avoid high-risk behavior that could cause them to contract any disease, including HIV/AIDS.

Priyo, 32, works for a production house in East Jakarta and lives in a boarding house in Rawamangun, also East Jakarta:

I always use a condom when I have sex, but I am more concerned about the pregnancy issue than HIV/AIDS.

I only have sex with selected women, whom I assume are not infected with HIV/AIDS, or do not exhibit any tendency to indulge in high-risk behavior.

I don't have any friends, acquaintances or relatives who are infected with HIV/AIDS. I don't do drugs. For me, HIV/AIDS is something that happens to other people -- not in my circle.

I guess it would be my concern if a friend or relative was living with HIV/AIDS.

-- The Jakarta Post