“Rising Rates of HIV Infection Among Housewives: Ministry of Health Reports Over 5,100 New Cases Annually”

The Ministry of Health finds around 5,100 new cases of HIV-infected housewives every year.

“Every year there are an additional 5,100 new HIV cases among housewives,” said Government Spokesman Mohammad Syahril in a press conference, Tuesday (9/5/2023).

Syahril said that 33 percent of the 5,100 people were confirmed positive for HIV because they were exposed to partners who had risky sexual behavior. This then causes HIV transmission through the mother-to-child route by 20-45 percent.

While other causes of HIV transmission are the use of unsafe needles and blood transfusions.

“The main contributor to HIV transmission occurs in risky sexual behavior in heterosexual and homosexual groups, and as much as 30 percent of transmission contribution from husband to wife. So that the number of HIV people in the population comes from 35 percent are housewives. The rest are husbands of sex workers and the MSM (man sex with man) group,” explained Syahril

In addition, the high number of cases among housewives is also due to the fact that only 55 percent of pregnant women have their husband’s permission to take an HIV test. “Of these, 7,153 are HIV positive, and 76 percent have not received ARV treatment. This will also increase the risk of transmission to the baby,” said Syahril.

As a result, 45 percent of babies born to HIV positive mothers will bear HIV positive status throughout their lives. Data up to April 2023, there are 14,150 children aged 1-14 years who are HIV positive.

Syahril saw that if this was allowed to continue, the infection would continue. He asked that each individual be screened to achieve elimination, including breaking the vertical chain of HIV transmission from mother to baby.

“As well as asking every party to support HIV-infected mothers to get HIV tests according to adequate management and get ARVs to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus, so they don’t experience the severity that leads to AIDS,” said Syahril