Jayapura's NAC Secretary Purnomo said here Tuesday that the 18 toddlers are aged from one to four years.
"Toddlers with HIV/AIDS were transmitted through the mother. Where the mother was already infected before conception," he said.
He said that there is still a HIV infected toddler found because the local pregnant mothers in the community are still afraid to check to the nearest hospital equipped with voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) facility.
If the mothers during their pregnancy period thoroughly check the health including the possibility of HIV/AIDS, the number of infected children can be minimized with special treatment from medical personnel, he said.
The effort can be done by various measures, such as when delivering the baby, because HIV transmission did not occur in the womb but during the delivery process.
Therefore, Purnomo asks the community including housewives to consciously check their health condition to the nearest hospital or health center.
Purnomo said that all community health centers that spreads throughout 19 districts in Jayapura has been equipped with VCT facilities.
"People must not fear, in fact it can help people at early stage, especially for housewives because the infection does not only undermine the mother`s body but also transmitted to the child," he said.
The number of HIV/AIDS cases has reached 796 cases consisting of 335 HIV cases and 461 AIDS cases has been recorded until November 2011.
As many as 330 HIV/AIDS infected are male or 41.5 percent and the rest 466 are female or 58.5 percent.
With HIV/AIDS infected age group ranging from age 1-4 years 18 cases or 2.3 percent, 5-14 years 3 cases or 0.4 percent, 15-19 years 60 cases or 7.5 percent, 20-29 in 367 cases or 46.1 percent, 30-39 in 251 cases or 31.5 percent, 40-49 years 69 cases or 8.7 percent, 50-59 years 20 cases or 2.5 percent, 60 years 3 cases or 0.4 percent, five cases or 0.6 percent are unknown.
Meanwhile HIV/AIDS infected by occupation in 2011 dominated housewives with reached 235 cases, followed by other occupations 160 cases, 102 cases of commercial sex workers, 94 cases of workers/farmers, 80 cases of private sector workers, 54 students, Civil Servants 46 cases, 10 cases of Military personnel, six cases of Police personnel, four cases of religious circles and five cases of street sex workers.
(Uu.A050/H-NG/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
