Bandung City Youth Ready to Spread Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Education
Around 100 young students and the general public throughout Bandung are ready to spread comprehensive education about HIV/AIDS. They just attended the HIV/AIDS Socialization Meeting for young students and the public at the City Hall Auditorium, Tuesday, October 25, 2022.
To note, this event is a collaboration between the Bandung City AIDS Commission (KPA) in collaboration with the Cooperation Section of the Bandung City Secretariat.
This outreach targeted 100 youths consisting of university students, students, and general youth in the region. During the socialization, dr. Ronald Jonathan as an expert doctor in the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
"This activity makes us know more about HIV/AIDS," said Adam Firmansyah, a student of Stikes Dharma Husada Bandung after attending the seminar.
The same thing was also conveyed by Riza Nurhaliza. The two undergraduate students of Public Health at Stikes Dharma Husada Bandung admitted that they were ready to spread education regarding the prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission in the city of Bandung.
“Stigma and discrimination also make it difficult for PLWHA to carry out their activities. This activity opened my eyes, it turns out that HIV/AIDS transmission does not originate from social relationships. But sexual relations and blood," said Riza added.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Bandung City KPA Secretariat Sis Silvia Dewi said this activity was an effort by the Bandung City KPA and the Bandung City Government in preventing HIV/AIDS transmission.
As is known, the cumulative cases of HIV/AIDS in the city of Bandung from 1991 to 2021 recorded 5,842. More than 40 percent of these cases afflict productive people, namely those aged 20-29 years.
"Therefore, we carry out socialization of prevention of transmission from an early age," said Sis.
With this socialization, he hopes that the participants can spread HIV/AIDS education to their closest circle. Furthermore, this socialization is expected to reduce the number of HIV/AIDS transmission in the city of Bandung.
Sis said that currently the problem with HIV/AIDS is the stigma of discrimination in society. According to him, this happens because many people do not understand HIV/AIDS comprehensively.
“This outreach is aimed at making the community, especially young teenagers, understand it better. So there is no discrimination against PLWHA," he said.
"That way, PLWHA can still carry out activities, live together, and undergo treatment which is one of the important points in prevention of transmission," he added.
Sis hopes that the dissemination of information regarding the prevention of HIV/AIDS can be carried out optimally to break the chain of discrimination.
The same thing was conveyed by dr. Ronald Jonathan in his presentation. Ronald said, HIV/AIDS transmission did not occur because of social relationships, but because of risky sexual relationships and a number of other factors.
"Also from the use of syringes together, mother to child transmission through the process of pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding," he said.
In addition to socialization, in the series of World Aids Day commemoration on December 1, KPA Bandung City will also hold Bandung Creative Content, which will involve 30 sub-districts in the city of Bandung. (ray)**
Head of the Bandung City Communication and Information Technology
Yayan A. Brilyana
