One of the Three Transvestites Infected with HIV / AIDS

Yogyakarta, government efforts in combating the spread of HIV / AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections through health service is still not considered optimal for gays, transvestites, and homosexuals. Although the National Committee for Combating AIDS (NAC) since 2006 has issued a decision pertaining to issues gays, transvestites, and homosexuals, the application of the policy is still confusing.

"In 2007, 34% of HIV cases in Jakarta occurred on transvestites. That is, one of the three transvestites have been infected with HIV / AIDS, especially those who are still teenagers," said Angela Ienez, advocacy and membership coordinator GWL-INA.

GWL-INA stands for Gay Network, Transvestites and the Men who have sex with another man in Indonesia (GWL-INA), an organization that advocates against gay issues, transgender, and bisexual. Currently, this organization has 64 branches spread across 24 provinces in Indonesia. Of the approximately 700 thousand gay and transgender people in Indonesia, only ten percent that can be enclosed by GWL-INA.

Vulnerability gay or transgender teens affected by HIV / AIDS awareness is due to low use of contraceptives during intercourse. The risk that fear of sexual intercourse is generally afraid of pregnancy. Because anal intercourse is done, they think will not get pregnant, but much greater health risk. This suggests that awareness to prevent the spread of HIV / AIDS among gay and transgender teens are still low.

"The family planning program in Indonesia is much more rapid progress than the HIV / AIDS," said Tono Permana, national coordinator of GWL-INA. "Whereas. GWL-young MSM has been sexually active since the age of 18-20 years. While most of them have started having sex since the age of 15-16 years, and many of those who do not use condoms."

"The programs are still partial. Kemenkes indeed encourage sexually transmitted infectious diseases service at the clinic to the public, but still not friendly to transgender, gay, and bisexual," he told detikhealth on Tuesday (4/10/2011), interrupted- IV National Meeting of AIDS between 2011 in Yogyakarta.

Tono explained that in Jakarta alone, only the IPPA's clinics are a mainstay for sexually transmitted disease services and HIV / AIDS for transvestites and gays. It is not separated from society's negative stigma is still attached to the transvestites and gays. Fortunately, recent years began to emerge of private clinics that serve the gay, among them the Red Goose dalah Clinic. In addition, there are also RS St. Carolus which offers one-stop service on sexual health of the transvestites and gays. While in Bali, Bali Medika there that provide similar health services.

Radical groups in big cities like Jakarta is also vulnerable to fuel conflict with this minority. As a result, some gay and transgender teens increasingly tend to close themselves to seek appropriate health care. Not only that, Tono also highlighted the lack of research on HIV / AIDS among gays and transvestites. Nearly twenty years of HIV / AIDS, much less found government programs that touch the gays and transvestites.

"Policy on HIV / AIDS is also not berprespektif gender, meaning that many services are not gender friendly. There are many escaped discriminatory statements from the officers," concluded Ienez.