Islamic approach to tackle AIDS in Indonesia

World Vision Indonesia (WVI) launched the "Channel of Hope" (COH) with an Islamic context in response to HIV and AIDS.

WVI Regional Manager for the Java and Nias Island, Charles Sinaga, said here on Wednesday that the launch of the channel is to encourage the efforts by religious leaders in Indonesia to address HIV and AIDS.

"This channel can assist the facilitator in delivering accurate information about HIV and AIDS to the Islamic religious leaders to reduce the stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS," Charles said at the launch of CoH in Jakarta.

Further, he hoped that the partnership between WVI and Islamic religious heads can work towards a better Indonesia in the future.

"We hope our efforts can be an example for other countries that the interfaith community in Indonesia has worked together to tackle HIV and AIDS," he said.

Background

Communicable Disease Control Specialist of World Vision Indonesia, Dr. Maria Adrijanti Ekaratni, MKes, explained the background of the partnerships with religious leaders.

"In Indonesia there is a high stigma among religious leaders - both in areas of high and low HIV prevalence; they are likely to see a strong relationship between HIV and sin," said Dr. Maria.

Dr. Maria also said that religious leaders in Indonesia are less involved in responding to HIV and AIDS.

"The application of the verses in the Bible or Quran is not quite right in response to HIV and AIDS," she said.

However, she said, the religious leaders or religious organizations have an enormous influence on society. They are believed to have authority over the moral values that can mobilize public awareness about HIV and AIDS.

The alarming statistics

Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary of the National AIDS Commission (NAC), Dr. Fonny Silfanus, MKes, said that the cumulative AIDS cases reported by the Ministry of Health through June 2011 has reached 26,483 While new cases of HIV continue to experience a positive cumulative increase of 66,693.

"The spread of HIV and AIDS is increasingly worrying, so it needs an integrated response from all parties, NGOs, governments and religious leaders," said Dr. Fonny.

Regarding the program, representative of Islamic religious leaders as well as *the* Executive Board of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Syahrizal Sharif, PhD expressed appreciation for the partnership.

"NU appreciates the launch of the channel because we are very concerned with social issues. Let us work together for the benefit of the people," said Syahrizal.

Channel of Hope aims to empower religious leaders in responding to HIV and AIDS without attaching a stigma and discrimination.

WVI cooperates with the internal Indonesian Interfaith Network on HIV and AIDS to create Muslim facilitator training. Training classes are conducted for 8 days with 30 participants and six coaches.

World Vision Indonesia is an international Christian humanitarian organization working to create change in the lives of children, families and the poor.

After 50 years of working in Indonesia,over 95,000 children to date have received support from these programs.

Areas` coverage of the COH program include prevention, care and support and advocacy This program is made by CABSA (Christian AIDS Bureau for Southern Africa) and World Vision. World Vision along with its partners to implement in 8 Provinces in Indonesia such as Papua, Aceh, Nias, Jakarta, Surabaya, West Kalimantan, and East Nusa Tenggara

Source: ANTARA