Data collected from the Papua AIDS Management Commission and the provincial health department indicate that 12,187 cases of HIV/AIDS have so far been reported in the province.
The cases are found not only in the coastal parts of the province but also in its rural hinterland.
Mimika is one of the many districts in Papua that are seeing a rising number of HIV/AIDS cases.
According to Mimika district health office chief Saiful Tagin, the number of HIV/AIDS cases in the district has risen to 367 this year.
"Starting from 1996 up to September 2012, the total number of HIV/AIDS cases recorded in Mimika is 3,190," he said in Mimika last month.
"During the period from April to September this year, an additional 239 cases of HIV/AIDS have been recorded, making it an average of 39 new cases per month. Mimika has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS transmitted through sexual intercourse, with 236 cases," Saiful continued.
"Mimika has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS transmitted through sexual intercourse, with 236 cases," he added.
Meanwhile, the chairman of Mimika AIDS Care Foundation, Pastor Bert Hagendoorn OFM, noted that the incidence of HIV/AIDS in the district was continuing to be on the rise despite efforts to control the spread of the disease.
"I am worried seeing the rising number of new cases every year, because the mobility of Mimika residents is very high. Besides, there are many new arrivals who do not have the information and knowledge about the risks they are undertaking when having free sex," he explained.
Pastor Bert expressed hope that awareness programs about HIV/AIDS would be "conducted continuously throughout the Mimika community, because the dreaded disease is reaching epidemic proportions here".
Therefore, the local government continues to make every effort to treat and prevent the transmission of the disease, although it is hampered by various challenges in terms of infrastructure and health workers.
In the provincial city of Jayapura, a total of 410 students from 13 schools, participated in the "Dance for Life" (D4L) program on November 24 to welcome the upcoming World AIDS Day on December 1.
"We will involve more than 400 students and teenagers in the event, which will be held on the premises of the provincial health office," said Robby T, the Papua chapter of Indonesia Family Planning Association (PKBI) caretaker and the manager of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights program, here on Friday.
He noted that D4L would be organized by the PKBI in cooperation with the Papua Youth Forum, the provincial health department, and the UNICEF.
Robby stated that the main objective of the D4L program was to control the spread of HIV and AIDS in Papua, and to raise awareness of the dangers of HIV/AIDS among the local community.
"During the D4L program, students performed dances and took part in a painting competition on HIV/AIDS in order to raise awareness of the deadly disease among the locals," he said.
Meanwhile, the Rutgers Program Manager of World Population Forum for Papua region, Andre Susanto, said the event was aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of HIV/AIDS among students and teenagers.
"Through the D4L program, we want to give students and teenagers as much information as possible about HIV/AIDS and reproductive health and rights, so they can share it among their peers," he stated.
He noted that teenagers in Papua were extremely fond of music and dance, and therefore, awareness about HIV/AIDS could be raised effectively through the event.
The head of Papua provincial administration's primary health body, Musa Taudufu, said the D4L event received a tremendous response from students.
"We are pleased and proud that many people, particularly the teenagers, in Papua care about HIV/AIDS. We hope the D4L program continues to help the campaign against the dangers of the disease," Taudufu said.
He also praised the teenagers of Papua, particularly Jayapura, for their concern about the eradication of HIV/AIDS in the province.
Taudufu added that the D4L was part of a series of programs to mark the World AIDS Day.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the main objective of World AIDS Day is to bring together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic.
World AIDS Day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high- prevalence countries and around the world.
Meanwhile, Jayapura education service head Robert J Betaubun said in Jayapura on Monday that HIV/AIDS education "would be officially included in the school curriculum in the city".
"Education about HIV/AIDS is important, especially for young people, in order to raise awareness of the damage that the disease inflicts on the body's immunity system," he stated.
He noted that Jayapura currently had 75 trained HIV/AIDS teachers.
"These 75 teachers are also expected to share their knowledge with other school teachers so that the city can have more and more teachers who can be assigned to various schools," Robert explained.
"The aim of the program is to prevent the spread of or eliminate HIV/AIDS in the region," he added. (*)
Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Otniel Tamindael
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
