A Brief Forward

In 2002 the Indonesian Ministry of Health, along with ASA, FHI and USAID, conducted a National Estimate of Adult HIV Infection to obtain a better view of HIV infection in Indonesia.

The results can help develop policies and programs related to HIV/AIDS.

Background Information

Up to 1988, all HIV sero-survey data in Indonesia indicated that HIV prevalence was still very low. Dr. James Chin once estimated a number of HIV cases in Indonesia based on HIV/AIDS data which had been available since 1988. He estimated that there were between 20,000 – 50,000 people with HIV/AIDS (ODHA). During 1993 to 1994, Dr. Linnan, a USAID consultant, calculated the number of ODHA by using IWGAIDS based on 1994 data. After a long discussion, a team of experts divided HIV cases in Indonesia into three categories. The first one was a low category with an estimation of 20,000 – 50,000 ODHA. The second was a mid category with of 300,000 – 500,000 ODHA. The last one was a high category with of 2 – 2.5 ODHA.

However, UNAIDS/WHO estimated that there were a total of 26,000 ODHA by the end of 1998. Given a limited fund by 1999, this number doubled by the end of 2000. This estimate was approved by the Ministry of Health. This number was published in June 2000 as an AIDS Global Report. In 2001, the Ministry of Health with WHO reestimated the target groups. This reestimation revealed that there were a total of 80,000 – 120,000 ODHA. This number came from an estimation of 62,500 among injecting drug users, of 30,000 among female Sex Workers and their clients, and 11,520 among general population (15 – 49 years old).

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