An estimated 18 new HIV infections per day (approximately 6500 in 2022) is PNG’s current statistics. This represents a 131 percent increase since 2010.
Around 800 new HIV infections occur annually among infants born to HIV positive mothers, equivalent to 2 infections per day in 2022.
The total number of people living with the virus stands at 72,000 in 2022 translating to 1% percent prevalence nationally among adults aged 15 – 49. This level is the highest in the past 12 years. UNAids reports that all 22 provinces recorded HIV infections with most showing an upward trend.
Most new infections result from sexual transmission due to multiple unprotected sexual encounters.
On the occasion of World TB Day, Sunday 24th March 2024, Civil Society Organizations also called for action in consultation with the government and media to prevent the spread of the virus.
Speaking at media networking event on Wednesday 27th March, organized by Media Development Initiative, a PNG-Australia partnership, UNAids Country Director Maoela Manova said there is a critical need for immediate action to address the HIV epidemic in the country.
While Tuberculosis is preventable, it is closely related to HIV infections thus in PNG, TB remains a major health issue causing nearly a thousand deaths among people living with HIV.
An estimated 44,000 people fell ill with TB in PNG alone in 2022.
In her statement, Mrs Manova said while there is a decline globally in HIV infections, PNG is seeing the opposite. Globally the number of new infections has dropped by 59 percent from 2.1 million in 2010 to just 1.3 million in 2022, this progress in a testament to decades of knowledge and evidence-based prevention strategies worldwide.
Other key partners in the fight against HIV/Aids are amplifying the messages of awareness on testing and stigma and discrimination and treatment through Antiretroviral Therapy.
Two such groups are Catholic Church Health Services {CCHS} and Key Population Advocacy Consortium PNG [KPAC]. CCHS has over 200 Health Facilities and 1,600 staff spread across 21 provinces. Meanwhile KPAC advocates for human rights of key populations to reduce stigma and discrimination and also advocates for legal and policy reforms as part of its mission.
These CSOs agree that PNG’s HIV status can be contained through awareness and the treatment of ARV drugs. A major part of collaborative work by Civil Society Organizations is getting people to know their status through testing. Antiretroviral Treatment is also free and available in most health centers.
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