AIDS Council highlights group most vulnerable

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) affects the most sexually active age group in the country, John Ipidari, the chairman of the National Aids Council, says.
“The true total cannot be estimated at this point in time. HIV affects the most productive age group and young people account for almost 40 per cent of people living with HIV/AIDS in the country,” he said during World Aids Day in Port Moresby on Friday.
Ipigari said HIV/AIDS affected the group that builds up human resource, from the age of 15 to 49, and that affected social economy growth.
“In 2017, we have over 47,000 people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the country and 2800 new cases of HIV were detected last year,” he said.
“I want to remind us all that HIV/AIDS is here and the increase of the number of cases in the last
two years means it is on the rise again.”
Ipigari said the National AIDS Council Secretariat was looking for ways to end the spread of the disease, targeting key populations including female sex workers and men who had sex with men.
“Prevention is better than cure.”
Indian Ambassador Nagendra Kumar Saxena said India was happy to supply the antiretroviral therapy treatment for HIV/AIDS at an affordable price.