The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Indonesia, especially in West Java, with 42.5 million inhabitants, continues to spread.
Bony Wiem Lestari, a researcher at the epidemiology and biostatistics department of Bandung’s Padjadjaran University’s (Unpad) medical school, says that housewives, or women who are currently in the low-risk category, could be at risk in the future.
“This is due to infection from their spouses, especially now when infection from men who have sex with other men is rising,” said Bony in a seminar titled “Will HIV-Generalized Epidemic Occur in West Java?” at the Unpad medical school in Bandung last Thursday.
As an illustration, Bony said 432 people were infected with HIV in 2005, with a further 287 with AIDS. This rose in 2011 to 1,556 people infected with HIV and 892 people with AIDS. Although the number of AIDS cases dropped to 461 in 2012, the number of HIV cases increased to 1,895.
Failure to handle the HIV/AIDS cases appropriately, said Bony, could lead to around 90,000 people infected with HIV by 2015.
“Maximum intervention is required,” said Bony, adding that HIV/AIDS prevention programs for the gay, transvestite, and men who have sex with other men (GWL) groups remained inadequate.
So far, said Bony, the source of infection was largely from the gay group, contributing to around 50 percent of the cases.
Okkeu Supriyadi, an activist from Srikandi Pasundan, a group focusing on GWL communities in Bandung, said his group faced difficulties in carrying out counseling due to limited funds.
