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HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea

The spread of HIV is one of the biggest development challenges facing Papua New Guinea.

Key challenges

  • predictions that by 2012 over 208 000 will be living with HIV
  • over 500 new HIV cases were reported in 2009
  • rising numbers of babies born with HIV and AIDS
  • drug and alcohol abuse, concurrent and multiple sexual partnerships and gender-based violence contribute to the spread of the disease

What is being done

Australia and Papua New Guinea are working together to address this challenge through the Partnership for Development. The Partnership sets out mutually-agreed priorities towards reducing poverty and increasing the quality of life for all Papua New Guineans. A HIV and AIDS schedule to the Partnership is being developed.

Since 2007, through the PNG-Australia HIV and AIDS Program, Australia has provided AUD $178 million for counselling and treatment, education and prevention, social research and family support. 

PNG and Australia have agreed to achieve the following targets:           

Treatment, counselling, care and support—improve access and availability of services, including by working with churches, community and non government groups.

Education and prevention—review and update education and awareness activities that take into account challenges and situations of the local people.

Monitoring and evaluation—strengthen monitoring and reporting activities to provide better evidence-based services.

Leadership, partnership and coordination—work at the various levels of government to ensure that activities are well planned, coordinated, and resourced.

Results

  • more than 6000 people are receiving life-saving anti-retro viral treatment
  • an estimated 1500 people living with HIV have joined advocacy and support networks
  • counselling, testing and treatment services have been expanded from 61 sites nationally in 2006 to 201 sites in 2009 with over 180 000 people tested
  • 108 million condoms were procured during 2009
  • 184 000 people including school children received formal HIV training and benefited from awareness programs through non government organisations

Working with partners

As well as working with the PNG government and its National AIDS Council, Australia also funds community groups working on-the-ground.  Groups funded include: Catholic Diocesan HIV Program, Volunteer Services Organisation, Save the Children, Family Health International, Anglicare StopAIDS, World Vision, Baptist Union PNG and International Education Agency.

Australia also partners with the Clinton Foundation to provide HIV treatment to children, and the PNG Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS to work with the private sector to address awareness and safer work practices.

In 2009:

  • Catholics AIDS Office tested 12,324 men and 22,767 women at 84 sites
  • 4,959 women accessed antenatal testing across 14 sites
  • 10 centres delivered anti-retro viral treatment
  • the National HIV and AIDS Training Unit provided 300 courses and trained 800 health workers in voluntary counselling and testing. They also delivered peer education training to 200 teachers and in-service training to 204 trainers
  • Tingim Laip provided prevention and treatment services at 39 high-risk sites across the country

Prevention of parent to child transmission

Australia is providing funds to groups working at a grass roots level to help reduce the number of babies born with HIV.

We are supporting the Catholic Church’s program to prevent parent to child transmission at the Mt Hagen General Hospital. In total for 2009 36 babies born to HIV positive mothers tested negative. However the results for May–October 2009 were particularly encouraging, with all 20 babies older than six weeks born to HIV positive women testing negative to the virus.

Susu Mamas provides care to HIV positive mothers and babies. The free service helps up to 10,000 clients per month by supporting nutrition, breast feeding, infant feeding, hygiene, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning and voluntary counselling and testing. AusAID funding will support expansion of the program into Mt Hagen and Lae from Port Moresby, all areas of high HIV prevalence.

Through the Clinton Foundation, the Australian Government is also supporting the Well Baby Clinics in Port Moresby, with a specialist service to care for mothers and babies with HIV. An outreach service is also provided to villages to counsel couples and their extended families where a mother and baby have the virus, providing correct information on how the disease is contracted, options for care and future prevention.

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