Voluntary HIV tests, AIDS deaths up: Hospital

DENPASAR: The number of people requesting HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) increased in 2010, according to one hospital.  

According to Sanglah Central Hospital’s Nusa Indah’s VCT clinic, 1,290 people used its services in 2010, up from 1,279 people in 2009.

“A large majority of [the patients] were either blood relatives or related by marriage, so we often received couples and their children requesting HIV tests,” clinic senior counselor Sagung Suryani said.

Out of the 1,290 individuals, 332 tested positive for HIV, including 108 women, down from 354 positive tests for 1,279 individuals in 2009.

“The death toll this year was quite high. As many as 64 people died due to opportunistic infections triggered by AIDS. Sadly, many families are still in denial over this. They simply refused to acknowledge the fact that their relatives died due to AIDS,” she added.

Wide access to VCT services, which might enable individuals and physicians to make early diagnoses of infection, was critical to reduce the death toll, she said. — JP