'We must respect them as human beings'

'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