By World Vision Indonesia communications

According to the National AIDS Commission, 160 children under 15 years in Indonesia are infected with HIV up to date. The commission also said that most of them get the virus from their mothers.

Meanwhile, World Vision’s National Director Trihadi Saptoadi said that it is children who suffer the greatest impact of HIV/AIDS. He said that HIV-infected children not only face difficulty in accessing basic needs, but also face stigma and discrimination.

“HIV has made children orphans and they need help. They tend to be malnourished, abandoned, suffering from psychological problems, and have difficulty in accessing education,” said Trihadi in the sideline of the opening of One Life Evolution exhibition in Surabaya on Friday (9/10).

He added that more must be done to help create good a environment for children impacted by HIV/AIDS so they can experience better lives.

“They still have long future and need our support. We are responsible to prevent new born children from being infected with HIV,” said Trihadi.

According to Surabaya health office, prophylactic antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for pregnant mothers and giving birth through caesarean operation can decrease the risk of spreading HIV from mother to child from 25–45 percent down to 1–2 percent.

“We encourage pregnant mothers to routinely visit a Central Health Post,” he said, adding that pregnant mothers should check their HIV status.

The OLE exhibition is World Vision’s effort to prevent the new spreading of HIV from mothers to children. The exhibition was previously held in Bali, and will also be held in Jakarta.

Head of Surabaya city, Bambang Dwi Hartono, opens the exhibition in Surabaya on 9 October. Around 1,000 people, mostly mothers and students, visited the exhibition in Convention Centre sixth floor of Tunjungan Plaza.

The series of OLE exhibition held by World Vision Indonesia is part of global action to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Based on UNAIDS/WHO data in 2008, 2 million people in the world died, and every 15 seconds another persons dies due to AIDS related diseases. In Indonesia, it is estimated that 270,000 people are infected with HIV, but only 10 percent of the figure are registered in Health Department.

Surabaya AIDS Commission records the accumulation of 1,971 HIV cases and 1,654 AIDS cases for the period of 1996 to June 2009.