Islamic leaders take up HIV fight

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Islamic leaders in Jakarta on Tuesday agreed to spread faith-based HIV/AIDS prevention information through their sermons.

Gathering in the Jakarta Islamic Center in Kramat Raya, North Jakarta, some 400 religious leaders said they would incorporate into their sermons topics including the advantages and disadvantages of condoms, harm reduction in fighting drug abuse and the importance of faith in preventing HIV contraction.

The forum was held ahead of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.

According to Dadi Parmadi Supatra, head of Jakarta's Family Planning Coordination Body, the event was the first of several and part of a faith-based campaign organized by his team and the Communication Forum for Sermon Institutions (FKLD), which will also hold more meetings with leaders from other religions.

"We hope the meeting will have a snowball effect where more and more preachers will send the message of HIV prevention, whether it is at Friday prayers or wherever," he said, adding that the main target of the campaign was Muslims.

FKLD head Nandi Rahman said preachers were important to spreading cultural changes.

"People will listen to teachings passed to us by the Koran, because the prophets have already predicted these types of curses. This is a judgment from above ... so we have to fight and return the lost moral values," he said.

With a huge number of injecting drug users, Jakarta has the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the country, 30 percent of the total number.

Drug users sharing needles is the main way HIV/AIDS is spread in the capital, along with many other provinces, Hariadi Wisnuwardana from the Health Ministry said Tuesday.

He was among the speakers at a separate forum held to welcome World AIDS Day at the Dharmais Cancer Hospital in Slipi, West Jakarta.

Around 150 representatives of NGOs, hospitals, public health centers, and individuals attended the seminar, which showcased this year's AIDS day theme, promoting leadership.

National AIDS Prevention Commission secretary Nafsiah Mboi said that the commission had set a three-year target starting this year for patients to have access to antiretroviral therapy to help them improve their immune systems.

"We also hope that people help the patients by giving them continuous support," she said.

Data from the Health Ministry has recorded 10,384 AIDS cases and 5,904 HIV cases with 2,287 deaths occurring in 33 provinces from 1987 to September this year.

Jakarta has the highest number with 2,849 cases, while West Java and Papua are ranked the second and third with 1,445 and 1,268 cases respectively.

The actual number, however, is believed to be much higher as it thought most cases are not reported.

It is estimated that around 246,000 people in the country are infected with the virus.

Zubairi Djoerban, a professor at the School of Medicine from the University of Indonesia, said that patients usually did not realize they had HIV/AIDS because they had symptoms like a high fever, diarrhea, gingivitis or scurvy and a weakening physical condition, all of which could indicate other illnesses.

"Most of them come late for treatment and this might lead to their deaths," he said.

To prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS cases the government will launch the first-ever National Condom Week 2007 month to encourage safe sex. (anw/ewd)