YPI center deals with increase in HIV/AIDS
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Pelita Ilmu Foundation's (YPI) center for drug users in Kampung Bali, Central Jakarta, is struggling to curb the number of drug users in the area and the spread of HIV/AIDS, with the first case of HIV infection in the area recorded three years ago.
Program manager of the center, Pungky Djoko, said on Monday that it had helped around 10 percent of 1,555 drug users registered in the area to get clean this year.
The number of drug addicts registered with the center has continued to increase, from 1,155 drug users in 2003 to 1,555 this year.
Moreover, HIV/AIDS is rapidly spreading among injecting drug users based on the foundation's latest survey, which showed that 94 percent of drug users registered with the center were infected with the virus.
"We tested the blood of 211 drug users, who regularly come to the center for medication, at the beginning of November for the virus. We found that 198 of them, or 94 percent, were HIV positive or had developed AIDS. Last year, the figure was slightly lower at 92 percent," Pungky said.
He added that the rapid spread of the virus in Kampung Bali was mostly via needle sharing among injecting drug users.
Data from the Ministry of Health shows that around 130,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS nationwide, although both the government and activists acknowledge that the actual figure is probably much higher.
Pungky said that the center was unable to help as many people as it would like due to financial constraints. The center operates on around Rp 20 million (US$2,222.22) a month.
The YPI has established several means for former drug addicts in the area to be financially dependent, including through a motorcycle wash, auto repair shop and handicraft shops.
As the area is notorious for drug-related activities, the only work available to many high school graduates in Kampung Bali is at the nearby Tanah Abang textile market, as laborers or parking lot attendants.
Other activities that the YPI center runs include the monitoring and counseling of drug users and HIV positive people. The center also cooperates with the local community health center in providing free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for people with HIV/AIDS and needles as part of a harm-reduction program for drug users.
The YPI has received help from several donors, including the University of Indonesia's school of medicine and Dharmais Hospital in providing free medicine and free health services, as well as the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).
Nanang A. Parwoto of the BNN said the agency had helped the center since August by providing it with medicine, funds, needles and equipment for its workshops.
"We will help it until December. After that, we will review the program to determine how much we will allocate for the following year," he said.