Jakarta – Indonesia is responding to the sharp increase in HIV prevalence among injecting drug users by issuing a new national policy that will legally settle the harm-reduction debate.

The Coordinating Ministry for the People's Welfare, in cooperation with the Health Ministry and several other related institutions, is drafting a regulation on containing HIV through methadone treatment and needle provision.

In the draft of the ministerial regulation, the National AIDS Commission (KPA), chaired by the coordinating minister, will work with the Health Ministry to provide methadone treatment and needle syringe programs in community health posts, hospitals and penitentiaries across the country.

"Methadone is needed to cut HIV transmission among IDUs (injecting drug users). And learning from past experiences, community-based centers are the means that can help reach out to them," KPA secretary-general Nafsiah Mboy said.

The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) estimates there are about 600,000 IDUs in Indonesia. It puts the national prevalence of HIV cases among IDUs at 41.6 percent, a significant increase from 26.76 percent in 2002.

The drafted policy, targeting to reach out to 80 percent of IDUs by 2010, will serve as a strong legal basis for harm reduction efforts.

People seeking methadone treatment or sterile needles at the appointed institutions will be protected by law and treated as patients in need of a cure, instead of criminals.

The latest draft also stipulates that IDUs below the age of 18 should be treated within child protection laws. "Previously, when an IDU came to a community health center seeking methadone treatment, the police would have been ready to keep an eye on them," UNAIDS officer Samuel Nugraha said.

With the new policy, IDUs are referred to as patients and the National Police, the BNN and the Justice and Human Rights Ministry have the obligation to refer them to health service centers.

Despite a little enlightenment with this upcoming regulation, the prevailing law on psychotropics is still in need of revision, Nafsiah said. For example, an article of the law still stipulates that A-class narcotics, including methadone, are only legal for scientific research.

The BNN has highlighted a much-needed revision concerning the importance of distinguishing between drug users and dealers.