Eleven Babel residents die of OF HIV/AIDS

Pangkalpinang, Babel Province (ANTARA News) - Eleven residents of Bangka Belitung (Babel) Province died of HIV/AIDS during the period of 2002-April 2008, while 54 HIV/AIDS patients are currently still under medical treatment.

"The real number of those who have died of HIV/AIDS as well as infected with HIV/AIDS, is likely higher than that. The existing data was derived by the local health service from hospitals," Head of the Bangka Belitung Health Service Dr Hendra Kusumajaya said here recently.

Of the 11 fatalities, seven had died of HIV/AIDS virus which they had gotten from unprotected sexual intercourse, and the remaining four from unsterilized needle and syringe exchanges, he said.

The first HIV/AIDS case in Babel was detected in 1997.

The Babel provincial administration has involved local communities, families and religious prominent figures in public awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS prevention.

Meanwhile, up to March 2008, the total number Indonesians known to have been infected with the AIDS virus was 11,868 and the number of those infected with HIV was estimated at 193,000 people, according to health ministry data recently.

In addition to unprotected sexual intercourse, most of the HIV/AIDS transmissions in Indonesia were caused by unsterilized needle and syringe exchanges among drugs users. (*) end