SOLOPOS.COM – Illustration HIV/AIDS. (freepick)
Solopos.com, BOYOLALI – Like being struck by lightning in broad daylight, is a saying that describes Y’s feelings when he discovers that he has been condemned to suffer HIV or human immunodeficiency virus in Pandan Arang Boyolali Hospital, in December 2018.
The man never thought HIV would be detected in his body.
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“Before, after Eid 2018, I was often sick. So in and out of the hospital, until…X-ray, checked everything and the results are normal. Initially my complaint was diarrhoea, I thought it was normal as it was after Eid but how come it didn’t heal until I was emaciated,” he explained when contacted Solopos.comWednesday (30/11/2022).
In addition to having severe diarrhea, Y also mentioned that his stomach on his left side was very painful. So he’s been hospitalized many times.
Feeling unwell and always interfering with her work, on the doctor’s advice, Y was tested for HIV.
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“That time I felt shock, sad, incredulous and crying. I also apologize to the wife and wife forgive. Even so, I’ve had time to think about what life with HIV is for,” she explained.
Not wanting to drag himself in pain, a few months later he got up from adversity. He continues to receive regular treatments as he works to support his wife and children.
He revealed that all PLHIVs can survive well with family support. He too managed to survive because his wife supported him.
Not just family support, a year after being sentenced to become PLWHA, Y joined Merbabu Peer Support Group (KDS) whose contents were people with his same fate.
In the KDS, members empower and motivate each other to seek treatment every month. Even though he has accepted himself as PLHIV, Y still chooses to keep his illness a secret, except from his wife.
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“The only person who knows I’m positive is my wife. Some PLHIVs only know their immediate family. Even friends at work don’t know, it’s even better that way,” he said.
Y said a PLWHA was fired when the company found out he was PLHIV. However, explained Y, the resolution was not immediate, but it was a subtle resolution.
He said the company initially called on the PLWHA to seek treatment until they recovered and promised to receive facilities. However, over time the structure was revoked and eventually decommissioned.
“Yes, it’s better to hide it first, sometimes people don’t know anything about HIV/Aids. Those who don’t know usually find it easy to discriminate and stigmatize,” she said.
Special treatment
However, not everyone experiences discrimination. Y said that children living with HIV/Aids (ADHA) do indeed get special treatment from their schools. In fact, even teachers and friends already know the child’s condition.
He gave an example of some of the privileges ADHA gets, that is, usually if the child doesn’t come in, the teacher doesn’t look for him because he understands the possibility of being treated. In Merbabu KDS, he said there were 20 ADHAs.
“Even if it comes in [absen] too long, even the teacher is missing, until his son is kissed and hugged because he hasn’t been in a long time,” she said.
He revealed that for people who understand that if HIV/AIDS is not easily transmitted, discrimination will not occur. Y pointed out that HIV/AIDS is indeed contagious but is not easily transmitted.
Access to Medicine
Y rates access to PLHIV and ADHA care in Boyolali as very good. There are 11 Community Health Centers and three Regional General Hospitals (RSUD) which are places of care and therapeutic support (PDP) for him and antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) can be obtained free of charge.
However, there is a separate fee for treatment at the RSUD, so PLWHA and ADHA must pay when they get there.
“At Pandan Arang Hospital itself there is a withdrawal of Rp. 68,000 per person in one visit. Sometimes this is burdensome, because there is not only one person seeking treatment, for example a mother, a child and a father Can be multiplied by three. Before June 1, 2022 the levy will be Rp 27,000, in other hospitals it may be different,” he said.
Furthermore, Y explained that the treatment at Puskesmas was free. However, you will be asked to pay IDR 5,000 per person the first time you get the treatment, so it’s free.
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Also, the obstacle faced is that there are some PLHIV who are lazy to get treatment every month. However, we are trying to overcome this by providing mutual support through the Merbabu Boyolali KDS.
“My hope on this World AIDS Day is that it is in line with the government’s goal of three zeros in 2030, which is zero discrimination and stigma, zero deaths from HIV/AIDS and zero new infections,” he said. stated.
It was previously reported, from January to October 2022, Boyolali Health Service (Dinkes) found that there were 88 new people with HIV/AIDS (ODHA). Of these, 13 people did not want to start treatment.
“So the details are 75 new PLHIV started ARV treatment [antiretroviral], there were eight dead, then 13 had not started treatment. Some of those who refused treatment also died,” Boyolali Health Bureau Chief Puji Astuti said at the World AIDS Day 2022 commemoration for Boyolali Regency at the Marhaen Panti Building on Thursday. (1/12/2022).
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Puji revealed that the Boyolali health bureau is still fighting to make those who don’t want treatment want to seek treatment. She revealed that with medication, at least the HIV/Aids virus can be dormant or not become more serious.
Furthermore, it revealed that cumulatively there were 572 PLHIVs in Boyolali till October. As many as 394 of the 572 PLHIV or 68.88% were already taking ARVs.
