More than 10,000 Papuans Living with HIV/AIDS

VIVAnews – Based on the December 2011’s data, around 10,785 out of 2.8 million people in Papua are living with HIV/AIDS (ODHA).

 “It’s a rise of approximately three thousand people in March of the same year, which was 7,355 people,” said Josef Rinta, Chief of Papua Health Agency in Papua, today. 

The figures surface as people have become more aware in participating in the VCT (Volunteer Counseling Testing). 

“Therefore, the authentic data of those who are HIV positive can be made possible,” he said. 

However, it is estimated that the people living with HIV/AIDS in Papua can reach 20,000. 

“Our estimation is that there are 24,355 people living with HIV/AIDS in Papua,” he said. 

The regencies with the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS are Mimika with 3,938 people and Jayapura with 2,010 people. 

The people living with HIV/AIDS in Papua are in the productive age of 20-40 years old. 

“Around 93 percent of the infection is transmitted through sexual relations,” he said.

116 out of the 10,785 living with HIV/AIDS in Papua are toddlers.