Robert Go. Jakarta – HIV rates in Indonesia could be on the rise after revelations by the local Red Cross unit (PMI) that there has been a dramatic increase over the last five years in the number of donated blood samples that contain the lethal virus.
The Indonesian government's "passive-monitoring" policy prevents health workers from informing the donors of HIV-positive blood of their condition, allowing them to give blood repeatedly and possibly spread the virus through that and other means.
Dr Susanti, a media relations officer at PMI's central blood bank, told The Straits Times that out of 976,115 blood pouches collected in 2001, around 1,500 had to be destroyed after screening tests showed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) contamination.
"That is a big jump from 1997, when 20 pouches in a million registered positive results, and from 2000, when only 70 blood bags had to be destroyed," she said.
The PMI screens donated blood for hepatitis B and C, syphilis and HIV. The agency has used the same testing method since 1992, and insists on its reliability.
Dr Susanti said: "We screen all pouches and follow a high standard. I would allow myself or my family members to receive blood transfusion here."
Dr Sigit Priohutomo, in charge of HIV control at the Ministry of Health, admitted that the evidence suggests a rise in the number of HIV cases in Indonesia. He estimated that as many as 120,000 people carry the virus or suffer from Aids here.
But most infections, he added, are caused by unsafe sexual contact and intravenous-drug use, while blood transfusion remains a relatively safe process. "We have documented only two cases of HIV transmission as a result of transfusion of blood supplied by PMI," he said.
Despite their assurances that Indonesia's blood supply is safe, government officials acknowledged that HIV could be transmitted through transfusion.
Dr Susanti said: "It is very unlikely, but there is a very small chance that infected blood can pass through our screening process." Ministry of Health officials defended the policy of not informing HIV-positive donors of their test results.
The government, they said, cannot afford to follow up with all positive results. Other health experts charged that the policy could help the spread of HIV.
Dr Adi Sasongko, a haematologist, said that the PMI should adopt an automatic response system, to include offering positive test results some initial treatment, into its blood-screening process.
In the meantime, there is little public confidence in the quality of PMI's blood supply, at least among the country's middle class and the well-to-do.
Many who need transfusions here would request that blood from relatives or friends be used, instead of blood taken from PMI's banks. And those who can afford it would prefer to fly to Singapore to receive transfusions.