Housewives account for most HIV/AIDS cases in Papua: Govt

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 01/24/2011 11:33 AM | Archipelago

Most of the people reporting HIV/AIDS infections in Papua last year were housewives, accounting for 164 individuals, the government says.

Most of these women had contracted HIV from their husbands, Jayapura AIDS Commission secretary Purnomo said Monday in Sentani as reported by kompas.com reported.

“Their husbands were unfaithful,” he said

Official records show there were 609 people living with HIV/AIDS in Papua last year, comprising 242 men and 367 women.

Up to 164 of the women were housewives, and 102 were sex workers. Of the total, 37 were civil servants, 67 were employees of private companies, 41 were high school and college students and 61 were farmers or blue collar or informal workers.

Twelve of the women were under four years old and 44 were between 15 and 19 years of age, while most (285 of them) were in their 20s; 198 were in their 30s and 55 were in their 40s.

Most HIV/AIDS cases were found in the Sentani district, 126 in East Sentani, 26 in Kauran, 20 in Nimboran and 25 in West Sentani.

Four children had contracted HIV from their mothers, seven from blood transfusions and the rest from sexual intercourse.

West Java HIV/AIDS cases on the rise

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 12/28/2010 8:42 PM | Archipelago

The West Java administration estimates there are currently more than 5,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the province, up from 3,598 last year.

This number is the second highest after Papua.

Head of the West Java bureau of social services Riyadi said HIV/AIDS in West Java were most commonly spread through sexual activity.

“Most infections are caused by sexual activity, and following that, through drug injection,” Riyadi said Tuesday.

Riyadi said in order to reduce the number of HIV/AIDS cases, his office would continue to coordinate with health agencies in cities and districts throughout West Java.

That coordination includes counseling, health education, advising on the dangers of casual sex and drugs and providing antiretroviral drugs that are used by people living with HIV/AIDS to stop the reproduction of the virus in the body.

“We are trying to make antiretroviral drugs available not only in hospitals, but also in community health centers, particularly in areas prone to HIV transmission, so it can be easily obtained,” Riyadi said.

He said the West Java administration had a Rp 160 million (US$17,760) budget for the program, while the central government provided Rp 2 billion for the antiretroviral drugs.