Pregnant Women Will Be Tested For HIV/AIDS

Pontianak (Antara Bali) - The Ministry of Health will involve midwives for early HIV/AIDS detection in Indonesia, the Minister of Health Nafsiah Mboi said here on Wednesday.

"Soon, all pregnant women will be tested for HIV/AIDS. If the tests are positive, then ARV (antiretroviral) will be given," she added.

She explained at a meeting with the Executive Director of UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), Michel Sidibé, that Indonesia was still unable to effectively deal with HIV/AIDS.

"For example, early diagnosis is still a problem in Indonesia," she noted, adding that the country should no longer rely on voluntary testing clinics.

The minister said that tests should be carried out on a routine basis, covering all prostitutes so that they can be given antiretroviral drugs in case of HIV infections.(IGT)