Klinik Yayasan Angsamerah has been successful in attracting a large number of young clients, who value the private clinic environment and the staff’s friendly, professional and non-judgmental attitude towards young people, who are sexually active.
The graphic below provides an overview of the age distribution of new patients undergoing HCT (n = 592) at the clinic since the opening of the clinic (mid-July 2013 – March 2015). Youth between the ages of 15-24 make up almost 40% of all patients.
HIV prevalence is highest within the 25-34 age group with 17.2% infected, but patients from the youngest age group are almost equally as likely to be infected (15.1%). This high prevalence among young patients (mostly young MSM), who have been sexually active for a couple of years at the most, is very concerning.
A majority of new youth patients are MSM (65.9%). The bulk of new HIV infections occurs within this group, with 20.3% of young MSM undergoing HCT at Klinik Yayasan Angsamerah found to be HIV positive. The second largest key affected population group are ‘Other Vulnerable Populations’ (OVPs), making up more than a fifth of new HCT patients. Roughly 4% of OVP patients have tested HIV positive. The third largest group are FSWs, making up 10.7% youth patients. HIV prevalence among these young FSWs stood at 4%. Small numbers of young IDUs and transgender people (waria) have also accessed the clinic for HCT service, as can be seen in the graphic below.
