By DALCY LULUA
CATHOLIC Church head Cardinal Sir John Ribat has issued a strong call for the Government to urgently increase domestic funding to tackle the worsening HIV crisis.
He said the current response lacked the investment needed to curb new infections and support those already living with HIV.
“The declaration of HIV as a national crisis should not just be a statement. It must come with action — starting with increased national funding,” Cardinal Ribat said.
He cited alarming figures showing that 30 new HIV infections are occurring daily, and that 11,000 new cases were recorded in 2024. Nearly half are among young people under 25, and about 2,700 infants were infected through mother-to-child transmission because their mothers were unaware of their HIV status.
“It is heartbreaking that seven babies a day are being born with HIV when we have the tools to prevent this. Many mothers never had access to testing or ART. We are failing them,” he said.
While acknowledging the Government’s efforts in making antiretroviral drugs available, Cardinal Ribat emphasised that much more needs to be done.
“We must reduce our reliance on foreign donors. The Government of PNG needs to put its own money on the table — for awareness, prevention, testing, treatment and care,” he said.
The Cardinal called for funding to be directed to:
- HIV testing services, including voluntary counseling and provider-initiated testing
- Widespread access to ART, especially for
children
- Affordable and quality condoms, particularly for those who cannot abstain or be faithful
- Public awareness campaigns to fight stigma and discrimination
- Enforcement and promotion of the HAMP Act to protect the rights of people living with HIV
“If we are serious, then domestic resource mobilization must be a top priority. We need to explore innovative financing mechanisms and build partnerships across government, civil society, faith groups, and the private sector,” he said.
“Communities must be included from the very beginning. This is not just a health issue — it’s a social and moral crisis that affects all of us. The time to act is now.”