Indonesia suffers setback in the fight against AIDS

A new report published by the United Nations shows that Indonesia a setback in its campaign against HIV/AIDS has suffered.

In the report, published in conjunction with the 2012 World AIDS Day, the Joint United Nations programme for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) records that the number of new HIV infections in Indonesia, along with several other countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, rose by more than 25 percent between 2001 and 2011.

The report also said that in Indonesia HIV prevention for men having sex with men (MSM) was on less than 25 percent, or very low hebben's.

The coverage of HIV-prevention programs for commercial sex workers in Indonesia and two other countries, Bangladesh and Pakistan, also less than 25 percent.

The prevalence of HIV infection among people who use drugs by injection in Indonesia has reached more than 35 percent.

Nafsiah Mboi said Health Minister respond to the report, yesterday that it was "so embarrassing".

"Millions of dollars are spent each year on HIV/AIDS programs to curb the spread of the disease in this country. Yet there is such a low coverage of HIV prevention programmes. I don't know what mistakes. The [report] was shocking for me, "she told reporters yesterday.

"The World AIDS day report 2012" launched by UNAIDS on Tuesday reported some significant progress made in recent years.

The report showed that 25 low-and middle-income countries, half of which are in Africa have reached more than 50 percent reduction in the number of new HIV infections.

"I don't know what we can do to try to change the situation," she said.

Data from the national AIDS Commission shows that the prevalence of consistent condom use is still low, although it is associated with a lower prevalence of HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases.

"[The consistent use of condoms] under sexual workers reached only 40 percent," Commission President Kemal Siregar said.

The report of the UNAIDS 2012 is another blow to her post just five months ago supposed Mboi.

Shortly after they filled the new position, Minister who remained free health Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih after the death of dan enganged in a fierce debate with Mboi, lawmakers and religious groups accuse her of a plan to distribute free condoms to teenagers hatching eggs.

UNAIDS country coordinator Cho Kah Sin said that Indonesia not busy with the figures presented in the report are must. The report, he said, statistics that the situation in the 10-year period from 2001 to 2011 outlined outlined.

"There is a group of countries in the Asia Pacific region where, by comparing the statistics of baseline data in 2001-2011, we see an increase in new HIV infections," he told The Jakarta Post.

The increase in infections in several countries, including Indonesia, comes from the fact that the rapid increase of the infection in the country concerned starts higher in comparison with other countries. Cho added that the situation also by the low coverage of HIV prevention programs despite good intentions was caused.

UNAIDS predicts that there will be an increase of about 76,000 new HIV-infections in Indonesia each year.

"I think this is much more important to realize," says Cho.