Aceh Lecturer Earns Doctorate with HIV/AIDS Policy Research

Medan, Indonesia – Nurul Husna, a lecturer in Social Welfare at the Faculty of Da’wah and Communication, Ar-Raniry Islamic State University (UIN) in Aceh, received her doctoral degree from the University of Sumatera Utara (USU) in Medan on Saturday, February 14, 2026. Her research focused on the complex interplay of social welfare policies, stigma, support systems, and their impact on social work practice concerning individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Aceh.

Dr. Husna’s dissertation, successfully defended before a panel of examiners in late 2025, examined “Kebijakan Pembangunan Kesejahteraan Sosial bagi Orang Dengan HIV/Aids di Aceh: Stigma, Dukungan, dan Implikasinya pada Praktik Pekerjaan Sosial di Aceh” (Social Welfare Development Policies for People With HIV/AIDS in Aceh: Stigma, Support, and Their Implications for Social Work Practice in Aceh). “Today, the fatigue from a long process of learning and research feels rewarded after participating in the graduation ceremony at USU Medan. It feels relieving,” Dr. Husna stated following the ceremony, according to SerambiNews.com.

The research itself presented significant challenges, stemming from the sensitive nature of the topic. “People are reluctant to talk about HIV/AIDS,” Dr. Husna explained, adding that the issue is particularly taboo in Aceh, where Islamic Sharia law is practiced. Despite this cultural context, she argued that HIV/AIDS is not a matter to be concealed, emphasizing that silence allows the problem to grow and potentially escalate.

Dr. Husna’s work addresses a critical gap in understanding the social dimensions of the disease, recognizing that the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS can be as damaging as the medical condition itself. Her decision to research this often-avoided topic was spurred by a personal connection; in late 2017, she met a friend, identified only as ‘R’, who was living with HIV/AIDS, prompting her to investigate the issue and the state’s response.

This personal encounter solidified Dr. Husna’s commitment to advocating for those living with HIV/AIDS, particularly within Aceh. She believes that “survivors of HIV/AIDS demand social support until they are free from the problems they face.” She also stressed the necessity of state intervention through policies designed to treat and prevent latest cases, and highlighted the importance of involving Aceh’s unique regional institutions in the response.

Dr. Husna suggests that a combined approach, incorporating religious and cultural perspectives, could be effective in suppressing and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS within Acehnese society. She is a graduate of a Master’s program at Gadjah Mada University (UGM). According to Google Scholar, Dr. Husna has 218 citations and an h-index of 55, demonstrating a significant body of work in the field of Social Welfare/Social Work at UIN Ar-Raniry.