By GINNAH MINI
DATA from the National AIDS Council (NAC) has revealed that 30 individuals are infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) daily, while seven babies are born with HIV each day in Papua New Guinea.
The Chairman of the PNG Council of Churches Alliance on AIDS (PNGCCLA), Cardinal Sir John Ribat, highlighted that over the past 14 years there has been a 300 per cent increase in the sex work industry, a 130 per cent increase in HIV infections among the general population, a 34 per cent increase in mother-to-child transmission, and an estimated 45 per cent increase in patients lost to treatment.
Sir John noted that over the past 14 years, the HIV prevalence rate in PNG has increased from 0.4 per cent to 1.5 per cent.
This information was shared by Sir John from a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis brief prepared by National AIDS Council (NAC) Chair, Wep
Kanawi, who stated that there has been a sharp deterioration in HIV prevention capability over the past 14 years.
“Given this state of affairs and the need for our ever-increasing number of infected persons to be better and more consistently cared for, I have asked Wep Kanawi, whom I have known and worked with for many years and whom I recommended to the Government for appointment, to undertake a SWOT analysis of what went wrong and where it all went wrong,” Sir John said.
“I’m very concerned about this uncontrolled rate of HIV infection.”
Mr Kanawi noted that the provinces with concerning numbers of HIV cases were Manus, Morobe, the National Capital District, Eastern Highlands, and several other provinces across the country.
The SWOT analysis is intended to guide the Council in developing Council submissions and driving a restructured, better-resourced national response, in line with the directive from the Prime Minister and the Minister for Health to reduce HIV transmission from 1.7 per cent to 0.3 per cent.