|
‘10,000-20,000 with AIDS in EHP’
BY ZACHERY PER
THE Eastern Highlands provincial AIDS
council (EHPAC) has estimated that between 10,000 and 20, 000 people
with HIV virus are running loose in the province.
The status report was presented to Health Minister Sir Peter Barter
during a recent visit to Goroka by EHPAC member Ken Wai.
The estimate was based on the ratio of an infected person with the
potential to infect another 10 people during “unprotected sexual
activities”.
Mr Wai said hospital records had shown that over 1,900 cases were
reported as of September last year.
According to the report, by June 2005, 912 cases were detected from
hospital records, but the figure had already increased to 1,900 by
September last year.
Mr Wai said from the confirmed figure, only 200 people living with
HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) had registered for anti-retroviral treatment (ART) at
the Goroka Base and Kainantu hospitals.
Only 90 of them were actually put on ART treatment while 110 are not.
The increasing number of cases in the province spurred the provincial
council to stress to Sir Peter the many impediments and challenges
facing the war against the virus.
These included poor provincial and district support, leadership
negligence, lack of community support, no proper provincial HIV/AIDS
organisational support, poor socio-economic condition, poorly-regulated
alcohol and entertainment industry and high migration rate into the
province.
Mr Wai also said they prioritised this year to improve both provincial
and district capacities and to encourage them to take up the programme.
The council also identified some of the root causes of the problem that
included spiritual emptiness, poverty, gender imbalance, big-man
mentality and inequitable distribution of resources.
 
|
