Tabanan (22/06) Tabanan is one of the eight regencies of the Province of Bali. The regency is well known for its fertile soil, being the leading rice-producing regency in Bali. But as other areas on the island, Tabanan is not spared from the effects of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. In recent years there has been a sharp increase in new HIV infections, transmitted mostly through unprotected sex. As a consequence, the regency of Tabanan has increased, since 2009, the number of services to fight HIV and AIDS in the area.
In order to expand and improve HIV and AIDS services in the regency, a local regulation was introduced. It was high time for Tabanan, as most other regencies in Bali have already introduced such regulations at an earlier stage. The new regulation is also needed so as to better implement the provincial regulation no 3 of 2006 which deals with the problem of HIV and AIDS.
On Wednesday 22nd June 2011, the Tabanan AIDS Commission (KPAK Tabanan) held a meeting to discuss the draft of the planned regulation with local stake holders and NGO’s. The regional government was represented by the Tabanan Department of Law, the Tabanan Health Department, the Tabanan Social Welfare Department, the regency’s Social Department, the Police, representatives from “Desa Pekraman” as well as by Tabanan Hospital and other local public health services. Nongovernmental Organizations were represented by Yayasan Kesehatan Bali (Yakeba) and Yayasan Dua Hati. Mr Yahya Anshori and Mr Ketut Sukanata from the Bali AIDS Commission (KPAP Bali) were present at the meeting and gave some insights on the draft of the local regulation. Currently the draft is being checked by the Tabanan Law Department and will soon be submitted to the local parliament for approval.
“This regulation is important because the regency of Tabanan is seeing more and more HIV and AIDS cases. We can push it if all parts of society are involved; the public community, the government and people living with HIV. And such a regulation will regulate the collaboration of all these different elements“, said Adi Mantara, director of Yakeba, decidedly. And he went on to say with a warning tone that “even the best government services will not achieve a maximal outcome, if HIV infected people have difficulties accessing these services. And as high as the awareness among people infected with HIV might be, as long as there is still stigma and discrimination from society and the government, interventions will not tap the full potential. Therefore a regulation is needed in order to ensure that all elements of society are involved in the response to HIV and AIDS”.
Ketut Randem, daily coordinator of the Tabanan AIDS Commission, said that he will push the release and implementation of Tabanan’s new HIV regulation but underlined that the combined effort of all parties – stake holders as well as the local community – are necessary.
By : Yakeba Team