Papua's HIV/AIDS Infected Consumes ARV Regularly

Jayapura, Papua (Antara Bali) - A total of 2,180 people infected with HIV / AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) in Papua are reported to have consumed the anti-retro viral (ARV) drugs that caused an increase in their body endurance.

Media Relations Commission for HIV / AIDS countermeasures for Papua regions Dewi Wulandari said here on Tuesday that the HIV/AIDS infected people who consumed ARV spread throughout the Papua region.

The number consisting of  778 people in Jayapura City, 608 people in Mimika district, 323 people in Jayawijaya, 278 people in Merauke, 74 people in Nabire, 26 people from Biak Numfor, and 24 people from Paniai district.

Dewi said that the anti retro viral drugs are distributed in several reference hospitals for the patients, so that they would not have to go to the general hospital Dok II Jayapura to obtain free of charge ARVs.

There are some 10,522 people in Papua are infected with HIV/AIDS, including 5,801 patients aged from 25 to 49 years old, 2,264 patients 20-24 years old, 984 patients 15-19 years old, 21 patients 10-14 and 52 infant patients under one years old.

The virus spread mostly took place through free sex or often changing sex partners that reaches 10,004 patients, then 183 perinatal transmission cases from mother to infant, 19 bisexual men, six patients transmitted from IDU (injection and drugs users), four people from blood transfusions, and 289 cases of unknown disease transmitting said Dewi.

Dewi also said that HIV/AIDS is mostly infected to 5,143 male patients, 4,829 female patients and 550 others still remains uncertain of their sex.

The spread of HIV/AIDS in Papua itself has spread across 12 districts / cities of 21 districts / cities in Indonesia's most eastern province.(T007)