REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SENTANI -- Known cases of transmission of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) from mothers to babies rose in the district of Jayapura, Papua.
Purnomo, the secretary of the district HIV/AID Control Commission (KPA), said in 2012 there were only 25 children below five years known to be infected by HIV in the district.
"By September this year, the number has increased to 31 cases," Purnopmo told Antara news agency here on Tuesday.
He said women were victims in 718 cases or 53.7 percent of the total number of 1,338 HIV/AIDS cases known in Jayapura until September 2013, and 50.42 percent of the women were household mothers.
The number of children below 5 years in age infected by HIV has increased although there has been a program of PMTCT (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission) in each health center and hospitals in the regency of Jayapura, he said.
"There is even the program of PITC (Provider Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling) given by health officers," he said.
He said the growing number of cases detected would mean more people are saved from the fatal disease.
"Hopefully the growing number indicates that improved performance in health care," he said.
However, it could also be an indication that there are bigger number of unknown cases, he added.
"It could be just a tip of the iceberg that what is visible is only a small part of big unknown cases," he said.
Head of the Jayapura health service Khairul Lie said the number of HIV/AIDS infected people in the district has increased by an alarming 19.78 percent so far this year from 1,338 cases in 2012.
The figures showed that every month there were 18 new cases detected in the district, Khairul said.
He said HIV has spread to rural areas not only in urban areas, adding the condition necessitated serious addressing.
He said almost 97 percent of HIV cases in the regency of Jayapura were attributable to sexual intercourse.
Self control, therefore, is the most effective means of preventing the spread of the disease.
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