TheJakartaPost
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Ahok's HIV test praised
A campaign community that goes by the name of #ODHABerhakSehat (OBS), or âPeople living with HIV/AIDS have the right to live a healthy lifeâ, has praised Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki âAhokâ Tjahaja Purnamaâs step to take a HIV test and counseling session at his office on Tuesday
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campaign community that goes by the name of #ODHABerhakSehat (OBS), or 'People living with HIV/AIDS have the right to live a healthy life', has praised Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama's step to take a HIV test and counseling session at his office on Tuesday.
'It's a dream we've been longing for. We're sure the more public officials and figures are ready to take HIV tests and counseling, the faster the stigma of being HIV positive in Indonesia will drastically reduce,' OBS activist Ayu Oktariani said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
She added that increased awareness of the need to take HIV tests and counseling voluntarily would reduce stigma and discrimination against HIV-infected people.
According to the Health Ministry's cumulative data on HIV infection cases, Jakarta had 24,807 HIV cases and 6,299 AIDS cases as of October.
Stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS are still problems in Indonesia.
Ayu said HIV was still seen as a sin and a moral problem belonging to marginalized groups. As a result, those in charge did not care about the importance of adequate access to HIV testing and information on preventing infections.
'Far from taking HIV tests, people still see that discussing HIV is taboo, which eventually makes them more susceptible to HIV infection,' said Ayu.
'The key to preventing HIV is to understand accurate information on HIV/AIDS and take HIV tests and counseling for ourselves, partners and families.'
More housewives today are infected with HIV and AIDS, while they used to be a low risk group.
'The next piece of homework for Pak Ahok is how can we ensure that health care facilities in Jakarta are ready to deliver services to people testing positive for HIV/AIDS during this HIV test campaign?' said Ayu. (ebf)
