KUCHING: The exact number of housewives infected by the dreaded HIV is unknown but the statistics provided by the Sarawak AIDS Concern Society (SACS) showed a 57 per cent surge in the number of reported cases in 2009.
SACS project manager Rahmah Wahap-Nicholls revealed that out of the total accumulated number of reported HIV cases from 1999-2009 was 1,028.
Out of this figure, the number of housewives infected by HIV was 124 cases.
“The saddest part is this, most of these housewives were infected by HIV through their husbands,” Rahmah told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
The breakdown of the statistics is as follows; there are 256 females and 763 males infected by AIDS in Sarawak.
“We do not want to press the panic button but suffice for me to say that the statistics we have are reported cases. But we do not know the exact number of HIV victims out there throughout the state,” she warned.
While SACS could monitor the local sex workers, SACS’ challenge was that it has no access to the unknown number of foreign prostitutes who ply their trade ‘underground’ throughout the state.
“Most men, including married ones frequented the places where these foreigners works, usually in massage parlours, karaoke joints, night clubs and hotels,” she revealed.
Rahmah added that it was very difficult for SACS to reach out to foreign prostitutes as they are tightly controlled by their ‘towkays’.
“To our knowledge, most of them will be given only two to three hours of ‘freedom’ time a day. So it’s difficult for us to reach out to them,” she lamented.
Rahman also noted that most of the people living in the rural areas especially girls have limited knowledge on the disease.
“Outreach programme is part of our overall awareness programme. Our greatest worry is that most of those infected by HIV are within the age group of between 20 to 39 years old,” she revealed.
However, SACS’ biggest challenge is to secure funding either from the government and the private sector.
“We normally get our funding from the Malaysia Aids Council and the rest from private individuals,” said Rahmah.
Besides providing free condoms to the local sex workers and their clients, SACS also provide transport allowance to HIV patients living in the rural areas to the nearest government clinics and hospitals.
“So to prevent the disease from spreading further, we would like to appeal to those in the high risk to have their blood check so that they will not pass on the disease to others,” she stressed.
SACS is also under strength as Rahmah is currently assisted by only one full time staff and three volunteers.
Source: Borneo Post Online, 12 January 2011