Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih said the government will allocate funds to provide antiretrovital (ARV) drugs for all HIV patients free of charge in 2012.

The government currently allocated Rp85.9 billion, out of the need of Rp136 billion for the provision of ARV drugs in 2011, according to the minister at a national coordinating meeting on HIV/AIDS which was held here on Monday.

According to the latest data of the health ministry, until June 2011, the number of HIV patients needing ARV drugs immediately reached 29,012 people but only 79 percent of them or 21,775 people were actually receiving the drugs.

Indonesia has been combating HIV/AIDS over the past 20 years but there had been no significant result so far, the minister said.

Some of the ministry`s targets regarding the HIV/AIDS eradication program had not been achieved.

Among the targets was a decrease in HIV prevalence to 0.2, but the realization was 0.24, she said.

Another target was HIV/AIDS campaigns covering 65 percent of youngsters aged below 15, but only 15 percent was achieved.

Therefore, the health ministry planned to launch HIV/AIDS campaigns in 1,000 schools in 100 districts/cities, to target young people under 15-years-old youths, she said.

The country has voluntary counseling and testing clinics in 33 provinces, and provides active services and medical treatment for HIV/AIDS patients in 218 major hospitals and in 68 small hospitals or community health centers.

Some 16 provinces and 34 districts/cities have already had regional regulations on HIV/AIDS prevention and eradication programs.

Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi in his written presentation read out by Regional Autonomy Director General Djohermansyah Djohar said the government has allocated funds amounting to Rp104 billion for combating HIV/AIDS problems in 150 districts/cities and 33 provinces.

Of the funds, Rp81.40 billion was allocated for the provincial level, and Rp23.58 billion for the district level, he added. (*)









(T.SYS/A/F001/F001) 04-10-2011 14:55:02

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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