Nurfika Osman

Free HIV Treatment for Two Children

As HIV/AIDS infection rates among Indonesian children continue to climb, the National Commission for Child Protection has secured a minor victory that could be priceless for two impoverished HIV-positive boys.

Arist Merdeka Sirait, secretary general of the commission, also known as Komnas Anak, said on Monday that state-owned Fatmawati Hospital in South Jakarta and Koja Hospital in North Jakarta had agreed to provide free medical treatment for the remainder of the children’s lives.

Both children, identified only as S and AM, were infected by their parents, he said.

Two-year old S is currently living with his mother, a widow who is infected by the HIV virus. AM, 5, has lost both his parents to AIDS and is living in the care of his uncle.

Atom Kadam, a spokesman for Fatmawati Hospital, confirmed that the hospital had initially denied S and his mother access to free treatment and medicine, blaming paperwork.

“ When [the mother and her son] came to the hospital, they only brought a letter stating they were poor and this was not enough to access free medication. They should have had Jamkesmas [cards],” he said, referring to the state health insurance scheme for the poor.

Many poor families are unable to access the scheme, which is often abused by officials who either attempt to extort money from the impoverished, or take bribes from middle-income families to falsely certify them as eligible for the program.

“We assure you he [S] will receive free medication here,” Atom said, adding that the boy was currently hospitalized because he was weak.

Arist, who said Komnas Anak had helped organize Jamkesmas cards for the two boys, said it was not the first time the organization had been forced to help facilitate free treatment for the marginalized, but hoped the story would raise awareness of the plight of many children.

“We want the government and the National AIDS Commission to be aware of HIV/AIDS-infected children,” she said. “They should help [poor families] so that they can access free medication.”

Arist said the lack of access to information and education remained the biggest obstacle to marginalized people getting free HIV/AIDS treatment.

She said 20 percent of people known to be living with HIV/AIDS in the country are below 18 years of age, and most are from poor families.

“We need to help them as this disease is threatening the lives of the children, our future.”

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