TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Strategic Policy Institute Foundation (LEKAS) on Sunday warned that the annual growth of HIV/AIDS cases in the West Javan city of Bogor can potentially become a time bomb if left without proper mitigation.

Lekas Foundation chairperson Muksin A.Z. said to Tempo that observations and researches dating back to 2015 up to 2020 logged thousands of people residing at Bogor city and district have been infected by the virus - effectively classifying them as ODHA or people with HIV/AIDS.

The city logged 2,500 cases while the Bogor District area logged 1,700 cases and the foundation said the mitigation and dissemination on how to prevent a further spread lacks significance, especially from the government, he said.

“If this is left as it is, it can be a time bomb. This is much more frightening than Covid,” said Muksin to Tempo on September 26.

Muksin said the pressing issue is currently closely noticed by the UN AIDS which highlighted the lack of mitigation despite already being protected under a government regulation, President’s instruction (Inpres), and more.

What is more worrying, he said, is that the viral transmission had reached rural areas with average ODHA being those in the productive age between 16-35 years of age.

“This is frightening, imagine in Bogor a Junior High student infected by HIV/AIDS. We conducted a study and assisted the patient and found out that the student was exposed to the virus because of the person hanging out with an uncontrollable crowd,” Muksin added.

Read: Indonesia in Danger from AIDS

M.A MURTADHO