DENPASAR ~

Bali Provincial Government calls on people to make concrete steps in the fight against HIV / AIDS by maximizing the role of family.

Vice Governor of Bali Ketut Sudikerta, in Denpasar, on Sunday said by maximizing the role of family, then the information about how it’s transmitted and the efforts to handle HIV/AIDS can be well informed.

Apart from the active role of the family, he also revealed the importance of the role of Pakraman (traditional village) to minimize stigma and discrimination in the society by increasing socialization of treatment for body of those who died from AIDS.

“This effort is important, considering the cases of HIV and AIDS in Bali at this time continues to increase in statistics,” he said.

Data cumulative of Bali Provincial Health Office from 1987 until April 2015, there are 11,311 HIV/AIDS cases.

He argued, the increase occurs for two reasons, first because of the development of new cases and secondly after the process of investigation on the ‘iceberg phenomenon’ done by of HIV and AIDS activists in Bali.

Therefore, Sudikerta reminded the community to enhance the active role of the family and prevent it by ABCDE, means Abstain which means not having sex, Be Faithful means faithful to one partner. Furthermore, C which means Condom, community is expected to use condom in having sex, Drugs means not using a syringe, and Education means finding the correct information about HIV / AIDS.

On the other hand, he added that the prevention can be done by forming cadres of AIDS Care Village in remote villages in order that this deadly disease could be wiped out.

“Therefore, I encouraged the Pakraman through cooperation with the Main Assembly of Pakraman (MUDP) in order to improve the establishment of this cadre, so socialization can be done as soon as possible,” said Sudikerta.