Lawmakers in Papua, Indonesia Seek Microchip Monitoring for HIV Patients

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Lawmakers in

But human rights activists, HIV sufferers as well as health and HIV/AIDS experts do not agree with such a proposal, which, if passed, anyone found guilty by a court of law of deliberately spreading the virus could be fined up to 50 million rupiah (4,100 dollars) or given six months in jail.

“People with AIDS aren’t animals; we have to respect their rights,” Tahi Ganyang Butarbutar, a prominent Papuan activist said.
How exactly will the procedure work? “It’s a simple technology. A signal from the microchip will track their movements and this will be received by monitoring authorities,” lawmaker John Manangsang said.
The measure is meant to reduce the number of people infected with HIV in Papua, Indonesia. The country has one of the fastest growing HIV rates, with up to 290,000 infections out of 235 million people. Papua has one of the highest HIV rates in Indonesia. According to a government study released in 2007, the number of HIV/AIDS cases per 100,000 people in Papua is nearly 15 times the national average in Indonesia. AusAID has projected that by 2025 up to 7 percent of Papuans will have the disease. Poverty, social instability and a lack of government action are some of the factors that contribute to this situation.
The bill hasn’t been passed yet. And maybe it will not be passed, since it violates the human rights, said Constan Karma, the head of Papua's National AIDS Commission.