Dili, March 19, 2025 (Média Democracia) – INCSIDA has a policy in dealing with HIV-AIDS, besides that it also has a plan to disseminate information about border areas such as four municipalities located close to Indonesia, because these municipalities are very vulnerable to HIV transmission due to free cross-border socialization from Indonesia to Timor-Leste and vice versa.
INCSIDA President Daniel Marçal said that INCSIDA’s policy is not only to disseminate information, but also has other plans, namely to coordinate with neighboring countries, especially with municipalities in border areas.
“Well, another policy is this, related to sharing this information, we also see it in the border areas, because in the border areas there is also a big risk because of the freedom to socialize, our society and the Indonesian society which has no limits,” said the Chairman of INCSIDA, Daniel Marçal
He said that the people are free to cross borders, do not have passports, do not have visas, so that the people of Indonesia and Timor-Leste are very free to pass through the existing back roads.
In addition, the President also added that if the public does not have information, it will be very dangerous for their lives, therefore in April there is a possibility that an agreement will be signed with Indonesia.
“Let’s think, if they don’t have the information it is very dangerous for their lives, therefore now INCSIDA is trying, God willing there will be no obstacles in April so we sign an agreement with other parties, with the Indonesian side so we also start to carry out prevention on the border.” He added.
He continued, the prevention plan will be carried out together with Indonesia in the border areas, especially in the border areas of Oe-Cusse, Covalima, and Bobonaro as well as Ainaru which are two parts between Liran and Alor, therefore there must be agreement with the Indonesian side.
He said that because Indonesian citizens were affected by the case more than Timor-Leste, because RDTL only detected the HIV-AIDS virus after independence.
“Because our friends in Indonesia have more cases than us, we are only a few but we know after independence, Indonesia already knew before 1987, we only found out in 2002, at that time we knew that HIV-AIDS was already in Timor, but HIV entered Timor during the Indonesian colonial period, because Indonesia already knew about HIV since 1987,” he said.
He said, Timor-Leste independent in 2002, but for years Timor-Leste was with Indonesia, that’s why some people have died but we don’t know about this disease.
He added that Timor-Leste carried out this prevention a bit late, because the root of this virus had already spread before we carried out prevention, he said we were a bit late but that was okay, continue talking to the community to save them from this HIV-AIDS disease.
Reported by : Estefania
Picture by : Estefania