Indonesian Province to Make Condoms Compulsory for Extra-Marital Sex
Local health officials in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, plan to make the use of condoms "compulsory" for extra-marital sex, Agence France-Presse reports. Although province Gov. J.P. Solossa gave no details on enforcement when announcing the plan, he said that violators "would be punished" as part of the initiative aimed at "curbing the spread" of AIDS. The regulation will eventually effect all of the province, but officials will target areas with "high infection risks" first. Irian Jaya has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in Indonesia. Health officials estimate that the prevalence rate of AIDS is 4.86 per 100,000 people, 25 times the national average of 0.2 per 100,000. Health officials cite the "relatively low income and education levels in Irian Jaya, compounded by the lack of health awareness," as reasons for the higher HIV/AIDS rates (Agence France-Presse, 1/22).
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