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HIV transmission in Papua New Guinea at crisis levels

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Lukautim Yu Yet Long AIDS - Billboard

As transmission rates soar, Papua New Guinea has declared a national HIV crisis to try and galvanize action to prevent the spread of the virus.

UNAIDS and the World Health Organisation estimate the Pacific nation recorded 11,000 new cases last year alone.

That’s equivalent to 30 new positive tests a day including seven newborns, who can be prevented from contracting HIV through antiretroviral therapy.  

PNG Health Minister Elias Kapavore said the trend was “deeply concerning”.

“As such, I am declaring this a National HIV crisis,” he told a press conference in Port Moresby.

The declaration is more than symbolic, activating a national emergency response plan enabling cross-sector co-ordination and investment in HIV services.

Adding to the anguish at the figures is the advancement of treatment and prevention options for HIV.

Bald brown man wearing a suit, Ken Wai comments on HIV crisis in PNG
In a supplied image, Papua New Guinea Health Secretary Ken Wai poses with some HIV antiretroviral medication at the National Department Of Health Building in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Thursday, June 26, 2025. Papua New Guinea health officials are ramping up efforts to fight HIV transmission. (AAP Image/Supplied by UNAIDS)

Most crucial is improving testing rates, so that more of the estimated 120,000 in Papua New Guinea with HIV can seek treatment.

Acting PNG health secretary Ken Wai said testing every pregnant woman can allow them to know their status and then access medication that prevents transmitting the virus to their child.

“We must scale-up access to HIV testing and treatment, particularly for groups most at risk. These priority initiatives should be offered at health facilities nationwide, and will require community leadership and support,” he said.

Mr Kapavore called HIV “a disease of inequality”.

“It is time for all of us to step up. I personally commit to raising this issue with my fellow ministers and parliamentarians and ensuring the urgent allocation of resources to protect our people – especially the next generation of Papua New Guineans,” he said.

The uptick reverses a decade of progress made to 2010, when World Vision reported new infections fell by roughly half to roughly 6000 a year.

Written by: Ben McKay (AAP)

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PNG’s HIV Prevalence Critical

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National STI and HIV strategy launch booklet red in color

Seventy-two thousand is the estimated number of people living with HIV in Papua New Guinea.

More than 43,000 are on Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) while more than 50,335 are people living with HIV who know their status.  
 
Across the country, 2,400 women are estimated pregnant mothers living with HIV; of that 1,239 are receiving treatment.  

Thirty-four percent of pregnant mothers, that is 34 out of every 100 pregnant mothers have babies born positive.  

Speaking at a recent media briefing, Dr Gideon Nano who is the Program Manager for National STI/HIV at the National Department of Health said the challenge now is to get the mothers on the ART Treatment.
 
Previously, Port Moresby was the known hot spot with high incidences of HIV cases but the figures are alarming now that statistics show 100 percent increases in HIV cases in all provinces in the country.  

The government spends K8 – K9 million on procurement of drugs however this is challenging as the Aids Council Secretariat needs more than K40 million to conduct awareness, prevention and treatment activities.
 
On Friday 30th August, the Government through the Health Department launched the new National STI & HIV Strategy 2024 – 2028.  

The strategy is in line with the government’s vision to ensure every Papua New Guinean is healthy, educated and able to sustain themselves.

In his address, Health Minister, Dr Lino Tom said the HIV epidemic cannot be controlled by the government alone, the success of the strategy relies on many valued partners.
 
The first known case of HIV in Papua New Guinea was reported in 1987, since then the country has continuously faced challenges in reducing the spread of HIV and mitigating negative impacts on the health and economy of the nation.
 
Lino said, “Despite our efforts, the strategy – and the review of the previous one – does not shy away from identifying the gaps in our response and offering solutions. “

Some areas that need improving are primary HIV prevention response, better integration of STI and HIV services and the reliability of the supply chain of medicine.
 
The strategic approach seeks to revitalize the STI and HIV Prevention efforts, increase attention on treatment, strengthening systems and working in partnership with all Provincial Health Authorities.

Related story:

18 New HIV Cases Recorded Daily in PNG
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Health

18 New HIV Cases Recorded Daily in PNG

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Lukautim Yu Yet Long AIDS - Billboard

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.

CSO representatives taking questions from the media.

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.

18 new HIV cases recorded daily in PNG
UNAIDS Country Director Maoela Manova

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. 

Jonathan Wala – KPAC Rep

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.

Graham Apian – CCHS Director Projects
Graham Apian – CCHS Director Projects

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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