Doctor stresses on good governance, leadership

GOOD governance and leadership are two key tools that the government and its stakeholders must embrace in the national response to HIV/AIDS.
According to Dr Moale Kariko of the PNG Alliance of Civil Society Organisation (Pacso), countries that had used these tools as their response to HIV/AIDS had done well.
“In PNG, we were silent for many years and just recently we started seeing improvements.
“The government has realised that unless it takes the lead, it will not change the trend of HIV transmission,” he said.
“You are the 2% who are positive, there are 98% who are uninfected and we need to stop them from being infected,” Kariko told participants of the second PLHIV summit yesterday.
He talked about leadership and governance as a preparation for the participants to elect the board members who would be representing them on the Igat Hope national board.
Kariko highlighted three things that Igat Hope members must look for in the national body that represented them – performance, results and Igat Hope to be a learning organisation.
He defined leadership as specifically listening and acting in a way that mobilises self and others to take effective action to inspire fellow PLHIV (people living with HIV) and other marginalised groups.
“Leadership is about realising the visions, possibilities and dreams. It is about the ability to respond only if you have authority in the matter.”
Kariko said people with good leadership would see the world in a new way when they transform.
“Change happens individually in each of us, the measure of a great leader is by the number of members whom she or he inspired,” he said.
He said a good leader should be concerned about the future, that taking action to make it happen – making the possibility become a reality.
“Good leaders decide to change the situation they are in now to follow their dreams, creating new realities.”