PNG could reverse the high rates of HIV infection

By ALISON ANIS
PAPUA New Guinea has been reported as having one of the fastest growing HIVAIIDS epidemics in the Pacific and Asia regions yet it has the power to slow down and reverse this situation.
Development programme manager with the PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP) Lawrence Stephens said PNG could turn the situation around for the better if it could bring social and cultural values that inspire daily life in PNG to bear on its response to the epidemic.
Mr Stevens was speaking during a national consultation on engaging communities in response to the HIV epidemic and its driving force held at Hideway Hotel last Wednesday.
He said this process had now become the focus of PNGDSP through the Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) which was established last with the help of partner organisations.
“The increasing HIV/AIDS epidemic is beginning to touch us all and that is why PNGSDP and its partner organisations are interested in exploring community-based responses to the epidemic,” he said.
He said CEI had plans to design a series of learning workshops to assist NGOs, faith groups, community groups and others to better understand how to work with communities to engaged them in the responses to the HIV epidemic.
The learning approach of the initiative began with the exploration of the meaning of community engagement in the response to the HIV epidemic, reviewed a range of methodologies that might be used, and supported civil society organisations that wish to engage communities, reflect on the process and identify the lesson learned.
Organisations that initially displayed interest in working in partnership with PNGSDP included the National AIDS Council, Save The Children PNG, UN agencies in PNG, National Research Institute, the Catholic Diocese of Daru/Kiunga and the Ministry of Community Development.