Antiretroviral, An Effective Drug for People with HIV/AIDS

Jakarta, InfoPublik - Antiretroviral (ARV) is a drug that suppresses the HIV/AIDS virus in the body of people with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). So effective, people with HIV/AIDS can still be productive at work and have family without transmitting the virus to their partner and children.

In other words, PLWHA who take ARV regularly every day exactly as prescribed can live like HIV-negative people. Chair of the STD HIV/AIDS Expert Panel Prof. Dr. dr. Samsuridjal Djauzi, Sp.PD explained the HIV/AIDS case in Indonesia have shown a declining trend after the presence of ARVs. He added that ARVs first existed in 1997.

The Indonesian government began to provide ARV drugs for free at the end of 2014. After the use of ARVs, HIV/AIDS related death rate is reported to have been reduced. Previously, PLWHA who were already in a state of opportunistic infection, a severe degree of infection, in six months or at the most two years would die," said dr. Samsuridjal on Wednesday (27/).

He continued that many are unaware that they have been infected with HIV/AIDS since they experience no symptoms. dr. Samsuridjal gave an example, if a husband has been diagnosed positive with HIV/AIDS, his wife will then have to get tested for HIV too.

Starting antiretroviral therapy early in HIV-infected people before it reach opportunistic infection prevents serious AIDS-related and non-AIDS-related diseases. Currently, according to Dr. Samsuridjal, around 300 thousand people are known to be infected with HIV in Indonesia, and around 120 thousand people are taking ARVs regularly.

He stated that PLWHA who takes ARV regularly can see its benefits.

“I hope that there will be more job opportunities for PLWHA in Indonesia to show that they have the same basic rights in the community," he said.

Reporter: Putri

Translator: Siti Chodijah