WORLD AIDS DAY 2019: Bring Them Hope, Break Their Concern

On the first day of the last month of solar calendar, we, global citizen, celebrates an international day that promotes awareness on HIV & AIDS called as World Aids Day (WAD). It has started since 1988 and was the very first kind of global health day. World AIDS Day aims to raise people’s awareness to AIDS pandemic, the peak stage of HIV infection. Every year, World AIDS Day has different themes, considering people’s consciousness on HIV & AIDS. Communication was the first theme of WAD 1988, it gives information on the prevention of HIV infection and teaches society to accept and not discriminate the sufferers of HIV (ODHA atau Orang dengan HIV dan AIDS)^[1]. According to one of CIMSA’s focus, SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) 2030, specifically on number 3 that pointed to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health, every person has the right to have access on their medical needs for their reproductive health. UNAIDS, as part of United Nation, leads and inspires the global citizen to reach its vision, which is zero new HIV infections, discrimination, and AIDS-related deaths.

WAD 2019 has the theme “Communities make the difference.” It emphasized on community as the main role to help ODHA. We can define what community it is, at least in two meanings. We can call a group of people that living together as a community, that has similar meaning with to society. On the other hand, we can call community for a group of people that intended on one or more issues to serve another people. As a person in society, we could support World AIDS Day by reducing the stereotype by doing air campaign that provides facts, myths, transmission, and prevention of HIV/AIDS. By campaigning “It’s okay to build a relationship with ODHA,” it may fulfill their need of love support, foremost to the ODHA who still tight-lipped.

In Yogyakarta, there are several communities that focused on HIV/AIDS as one of their issues. At the night of November 30, 2019, we campaigned for World AIDS Day at Malioboro region that was supported by communities whose HIV/AIDS as their focus, as follows, Perkumpulan Keluarga Berencana Indonesia (PKBI) Sleman, Unala Youth ID, Badan Perlindungan dan Rehabilitasi Sosial Remaja (BPRSR) Dinas Sosial DIY, and Victory Plus. Besides PKBI, communities that have mentioned before, have a main focus on youth to reach their goal, but the goal of all is the same, fight for sexual and reproductive health rights. There are 723 reported cases of HIV infections in Yogyakarta, which is stand at 13 out of 34 provinces (InfoDATIN Kemenkes RI, 2018). ^[2] A social campaigned that was held by SCORA UGM is an example to give insight to the community in society about HIV/AIDS. Most people still didn’t know what are the differences between HIV and AIDS, worry to making friends with ODHA and to do VCT. It is recommended that every people, espescially those who has the risk facotrs of HIV, to do VCT to prevent the peak stage of infection.

Nowadays, there is Antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to reduce HIV transmission risk, inhibit deteriorating infection, increase ODHA’s life quality, and decrease viral load. In Indonesia the use of ARV treatment is regulated by “Permenkes RI No. 87 tahun 2014” about guidance for the ARV treatment. In Yogyakarta, RSUP Sardjito provides VCT (Voluntary Counseling and HIV Testing) and also comprehensive HIV (give ARV treatment, etc.)

Based on YouTube video that was uploaded by Kitabisa com, ^[3] an inspiring story from ODHAs couple, who  help ODHAs think positively. Even though, at first when they knew got positive HIV, they felt hopeless, thought that their live would end soon or the family and friends wouldn’t accept. Then, they joined into community in Jakarta, and it was very helpful to build their positivity thought. A highlighted point, when her friend didn’t want to use same toilet, it means that people is lack of knowledge about HIV transmission. As a part of an educated society, we must share obvious and trustworthy information to break the stigma to reduce their concerns, and of course giving hopes of life.

References

1. 1988: First World AIDS Day – CBC Archives [Internet]. Cbc.ca. 2019 [cited 3 December 2019]. Available from: https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1988-first-world-aids-day
2. Pusat Data dan Informasi Kementrian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia. 2018. Situasi Umum HIV/AIDS dan Tes HIV. Jakarta: Kementrian Kesehatan RI [cited 3 Dec. 2019].
3. Kisah Cinta Pasangan Suami Istri Dengan HIV/AIDS. (2019).Available at: https://youtu.be/Egnt05ePY-Y [Accessed 7 Dec. 2019].