He said, in view of the high incidence of HIV/AIDS in Papua, the hospital was continuously disseminating information on HIV/AIDS among its patients.
"We ask every patient who comes for treatment to undergo a HIV/AIDS check, especially when they are pregnant women," he said.
Nikodemus said pregnant women needed to be examined for HIV/AIDS so that they could be immediately treated if they tested positive, and their about-to-be-born babies protected from the virus.
Meanwhile, male patients and unpregnant women who tested positive for HIV/AIDS were asked to refrain from intercourse for a while while they were given special treatment.
"We always try to give patients accurate information about the disease so that they can overcome their reluctance to take up voluntary counseling," Nikodemus said.
He hoped the hospital`s effort could minimize HIV/AIDS cases in Papua, in the Jayapura region in particular where the number of sufferers was growing.
In order to encourage people to take the HIV/AIDS test, Yowari Hospital was providing the service free of charge in a special clinic equipped with adequate facilities and staffed by specialists.
(T.KR-LWA/HAJM/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
