Originally published December 18 2005
UN official calls attention to potential AIDS epidemic in Indonesia
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
UNAIDS chief Peter Piot recently sounded the alarm as to the state of public health in Indonesia, as he stated at a press conference that he believes the country is on the brink of an AIDS epidemic, with figures ranging from 90, 000 to 130,000 Indonesians infected with HIV.
Indonesia is on the brink of an AIDS epidemic and must act quickly to fight its spread, UNAIDS chief Peter Piot said as he began a four-day visit here.
Piot, who will spend World AIDS day here on Thursday, said that Indonesia needs every layer of society to join the battle against HIV, the virus causing AIDS, as it is now the 'new frontline of the AIDS epidemic'.
'When I look at Indonesia from the perspective globally I would say that there's no doubt that Indonesia is in the early stages of an AIDS epidemic,' he told a press briefing after meeting with coordinating minister for social welfare, Alwi Shihab.
Piot said that besides drug users, sex workers and their clients are clocking in 'alarmingly high and increasing' infection rates, while in the eastern province of Papua, the virus is spreading speedily through the heterosexual population.
'We have these three different epidemics going on and we know from experience that once it starts like that it's only a matter of time before HIV spreads outside these fairly defined populations,' he said.
He said that while President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made his commitment to fighting AIDS clear, 'we need that same level of commitment from all levels of society ...
The promotion of condom use in Indonesia, a Muslim nation, is extremely sensitive but Shihab said that his ministry is talking to religious leaders to emphasize the disastrous consequences of not doing so.
Piot said he chose to spend World AIDS day in Asia because he wanted to see attention focused on the region, where 10 years ago one person in 10 infected globally was from here.
'I wanted to highlight the situation in Asia, the fact that the epidemic is entering its globalization phase and that I think it's at high risk,' he said.
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