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HIV stats unreliable: NACS
By STEPHANIE WAIDE
HIV/AIDS statistics collected over
the years are unreliable and do not reflect the real situation in
Papua New Guinea.
This startling revelation was made by the National AIDS Council
Secretariat during a three-day monitoring and evaluation training
in Port Moresby last week.
It has been 20 years since the first case of HIV in PNG as
detected and identified and the country has been using statistics
from sources that have used different methods of collecting
information.
“Although this data had provided a rough estimate of the cases in
the country, we cannot confirm that this information was
reliable,” NACS’s manager for policy, planning and evaluation
Michael Aglua said.
“With different methods of collecting data, it was difficult to
give proper comparisons between the provinces and there was no
effective data provided.”
The NACS depended on provincial AIDS councils for data
information, however, there were different organisations working
in the provinces, each with its own way of collecting information.
“This is the reason why we do not have proper data available,” Mr
Aglua said.
“There are so many funding agencies and organisations that put in
a lot of effort in carrying out the awareness.
“There are also a lot of effort put into further reducing the risk
factors, however, if the data is not proper, then our surveillance
will not be as effective as we hope it would be.
“Policy decisions and intervention programmes designed
progressively needs to be based on evidence.
“This evidence can only be provided by effective monitoring and
evaluation on the national response on HIV and AIDS in PNG.”
The NACS has taken steps to establish a monitoring and evaluation
unit.
This unit is to monitor and evaluate the response for the
epidemic.
 
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