25 Nov 2008

Medecins du Monde says Papua Council's plan on HIV/AIDS is adequate

11:12 am on 25 November 2008

The international health NGO, Medecins du Monde, says the Papua provincial legislative council's response to the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in the Indonesian province, is adequate.

The council is moving to pass a bylaw that requires some HIV/AIDS patients to be implanted with microchips.

Under the bylaw, patients who are considered to have shown aggressively sexual behaviour could be implanted with a microchip to monitor their activity.

Medecins du Monde's Remco van de Pas says microchipping patients is a ridiculous notion and will not stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Dr van de Pas also says microchipping would only add to the stigma that still plagues those living with the disease in Papua, particularly in rural and remote Highlands areas.