"Men should be educated on HIV and AIDS."Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - The AIDS Prevention Commission (KPA) has come up with a HIV/AIDS forum for men to reduce the number of HIV and AIDS cases in Kupang.
"We have organised a forum because men should be educated on HIV and AIDS," said the Secretary of the National AIDS Commission, Bastian Benufinit, on Tuesday.
He said the number of males in Kupang who have AIDS and HIV is higher than the number of females with the same diseases. Hence, it is important to have a HIV/AIDS forum just for men.
He said as of December 31, 2012, there were 390 cases of AIDS and HIV. Out of these 390 people, 247 were men and 143 were women.
"Men should be educated on HIV and AIDS," he said.
In our society, we look up to men, and they are our guardians.
"If the head of a household contracted AIDS or HIV, his family would become dysfunctional," he said.
The forum will comprise "ojeks", drivers and other male activists.
Nevertheless, efforts are being undertaken to educate women too as they are vulnerable to these diseases.
"Women and the younger generation are vulnerable to these diseases," he said.
He hopes the forum will be informative. In addition, he hopes that men will be role models at home and in the society.
(T.S038/KR-BSR/O001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
