As many as 36,483 people living with HIV/AIDS (ODHA) received antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in 2013, a senior health official has said
s many as 36,483 people living with HIV/AIDS (ODHA) received antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in 2013, a senior health official has said.
'The development of HIV/AIDS control in Indonesia has shown relatively good results. This can be seen from the increase in the number of people receiving ARV therapy in 2013,' said Health Ministry director-general of disease control and environmental health Tjandra Yoga Aditama in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara news agency. In 2005, only 2,381 received the therapy.
According to Tjandra, the ministry also found that the number of HIV cases detected early had also increased. In 2013, 20,397 people were recorded as having been infected with HIV, up from 895 in 2005.
Meanwhile, the number of AIDS patients reached 2,763 in September, down from 4,987 in 2005.
'The case fatality rate [CFR] also dropped to 0.85 percent as of September from 13.65 percent in 2004,' said Tjandra.
The Health Ministry has been carrying out HIV/AIDS control and prevention programs by, among other measures, putting together national guidelines and training modules for health workers, such as the Training of Trainers (ToT) on Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT), which is followed up by Care, Support and Treatment (CST) training sessions.
'Such training sessions have continued to be provided to increase the number of healthcare facilities that can offer ARV therapy for people living with HIV/AIDS,' said Tjandra, adding the ministry had also developed training modules on the Methadone Therapy Program (PTRM) and the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT).
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