Dinkes: 240 Sex Workers Indicated HIV/AIDS

By Ulul Maskuriah

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (Antaranews) - 240 female sex workers (WPS) in South Kalimantan indicated HIV and AIDS from a total of 707 people infected from 2002 to June 2013.

Head Of South Kalimantan Health Agency (Kadinkes) Rudiansyah here on Thursday detailing, from that number of cases, 222 WPS infected with HIV while 18 others suffered from AIDs.

"The high incidence of HIV and AIDS at the WPS reached 33.9 percent of the total cases, due to intensive deadly disease prevention program in locations of key populations at county and city," he said.

According to Kadinkes, the faster discovery of key populations spread of HIV/AIDS in this region, then the treatment and prevention will also be more effective.

Now, he said, the Provincial HIV/AIDS commission (KPA) is focusing on dealing with and preventing the spread of diseases in the locations where the WPS work.

This is because the number of HIV/AIDs on housewives is also increasing, which has now reached 79 people or 11.2 per cent or the second highest amount after the WPS.

The discovery of as many as 27 cases of HIV and 52 cases of AIDS in women of the household a strong indication that HIV/AIDS is not only on key populations that are prone to transmit or spread, but has entered the general population or society.

HIV/AIDS also attacked non-professional personnel. With details of 32 patients suffering from HIV and 47 affected with AIDS (11.2 percent). 

Then the case on inmates at 6.5 percent or 46 cases, seven cases of civil servants, fishermen two cases, four cases among laborers, driver seven cases, non-medical professionals three cases, seven of sailors, medics one person, and TNI/police one person.

The remaining 197 people is unknown employment status, thus the total people living with HIV/AIDs in South Kalimantan has now reached 707 cases, ie 393 cases of HIV and 314 cases of AIDS.

Previously , Secretary of the South Kalimantan KPAD in Amuntai, Yahman Aboe Sudarsono, said today in all districts in South Kalimantan has found cases of people with HIV/AIDS.