"The number is based on the test of blood samples taken from 400 commercial sex workers in several red-light districts in Kotawaringin Timur," Head of the Kotawaringin Timur district health office, Yuendri Irawanto said here on Sunday.
He said the 400 commercial sex workers included 263 from Pasir Putih red-light district, 58 from Parenggean red-light district, and 68 from the red-light district at Tangar village.
He said poor knowledge of the deadly disease and low awareness of the need to have medical test at nearby medical clinics were to blame for the high number of commercial sex workers living with AIDS.
"We hope commercial sex workers will not hesitate to go to the medical clinics. So we can detect whether or not they have developed the deadly disease as early as possible," he said.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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