Markus Makur, Timika, Papua – An HIV/AIDS commission senior official who claimed Mimika regency, Papua, had the highest HIV/AIDS rate increase in the country and in the world, advised residents to avoid free sex.

"The disease has been spreading here for 13 years. It (the cases) has increased 100 percent every year and is endangering people's lives. We should act on this and advise people not to have free sex," the Mimika HIV/AIDS commission secretary Saiful Takim said at an event Saturday evening.

According to Takim, the number of HIV/AIDS cases in the regency reached 1,973 between December last year to March this year, the "highest rate of increase in Papua and in Indonesia."

He added heterosexual intercourse was responsible for the disease spreading in the regency. He said most people with HIV/AIDS were between 15 and 36 years old. The event's committee chairman Rolando Tamtalihitu said he was disappointed local officials did not support the event.

"Not a single official attended the event, although they were all invited. They don't care about preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS," Tamtalihitu said.

He said it was ironic Mimika, the world's largest gold producer, was also witnessing the highest HIV/AIDS rate increase.