U=U has been advocated in Indonesia since 2018 when a non-profit organization called Jaringan Equals Indonesia (#Equals_id)Â joined Prevention Access Campaign as community partner.
Equals_id (founded by Aan S. Rianto) has been writing lots of articles regarding U=U with embedded original references in many local HIV communities using hashtag #equals_id.
Even though U=U bring enlightenment to most people living with HIV to breakdown stigma and acknowledged and endorsed by WHO and other international health organisations, it was not easily accepted in Indonesia.
People think I was halucinating when presenting the results of Partner Study I and II, HTPN 052 Â and also Opposite Attract to mention some studies.
Some even bullied with bad comments inside the communities and sent threatening messages to stop further advocating U=U.
When I replied back with all of the original references then I found out that language is the main barriers....they wouldn't read any articles longer than a paragraph, and if it's not in local language they wouldn't even look.
I tried to translate most articles in Bahasa Indonesia but still it's not considered important while they themselves can't read English......
Even the communities reacted negatively to the facts that U=U should free any PLHIV from stigma and shame being HIV positive.
Most old timer activists (even medical practitioners) believe that U=U is a mere movement of PLHIV claiming their rights to do condomless sex, even in every articles written about U=U there always a foot note mentioning condom is to be used to prevent other STI's and unwanted pregnancy. Thus this movement was considered dangerous in increasing the STI's case.
Why wouldn't they educate STI properly if they concerned about STI's?
They do understand the ESSE (Exit, Sufficient, Survive, Enter) principal for HIV transmission, they know that a women living with HIV can breastfeed her baby but wouldn't take a word that a PLHIV is no more infectious of transmitting HIV to others through sex when they're Undetectable. They believe viral load Undetectable is not or never be stabil so condom is a must for PLHIV to prevent hiv transmissions to their sexual partners.
