HIV/AIDS Reaches "Epidemic" Among Papuans

The Antara News Agency, October 28, reported that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in West Papua has reached "the 'generalized epidemic' stage, according to World Vision Indonesia health program coordinator Dr. Ronald Gunawan. "HIV and AIDS in Papua are no longer exclusive to high-risk groups, but also common among the general public," said Gunawan. Among the indigenous population, the prevalence rate had reached 2.8 percent, much higher than the rate of 1.5 percent among immigrants. Gunawan said the highest rate, 3.2 percent, was found in coastal and remote areas where health services were scarce.

Gunawan said the spread of HIV/AIDS could be checked if the public were made more aware and given adequate information. The government needed to improve the quality of education, particularly in remote areas of the province. He said the government also had to recruit doctors and health workers and post them around Papua to improve the quality and delivery of health services.

The failure of the Indonesian central government to provide a basic health (or education) infrastructure for Papuans after over 40 years of control of West Papua and despite over eight years of "special autonomy" (see the following piece for more detail on the inadequacy of basic services in West Papua) is one argument employed by critics of Indonesian policy who contend that decades of such neglect has had a genocidal impact on Papuans.

ENDS

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