Duo to study HIV/AIDS courses

IT was fitting that on World AIDS Day, the announcement of Australian scholarship recipients included two people intending to study in HIV-related areas.
The two were among 11 recipients of Australian leadership awards (ALA) congratulated at a ceremony hosted by the Australian High Commissioner to PNG Chris Moraitis.
Madeline Lemeki, research manager at Population Services International, a non-governmental organisation, will be studying for a doctorate of philosophy in science at the University of Queensland where she will evaluate HIV prevention projects in PNG, looking at which programmes are successful and how prevention campaigns can be more effective.
Dr Lucy John, who works at the Department of Health in Port Moresby, will be studying for a master of medicine in STD and HIV at Sydney University.
“It is appropriate that on World AIDS Day we should be acknowledging the importance of education and research in our efforts to halt the spread of HIV in PNG and the work these people are doing will make an important contribution to that course,” Mr Moraitis said.
Other recipients will be studying in areas such as information technology, pharmacy, medical science and public administration at a wide range of Australian universities.
“These 11 outstanding people have been identified for their potential to assume leadership roles in wide ranging areas which have the potential to impact significantly on PNG’s development,” he said.
Two awardees, Shannon Lasin Sariman and Ms Lemeki, also received an Allison Sudradjat Award in addition to their ALA scholarship awards. Sariman will study for a master
of information technology.
This award honours the memory of Allison Sudradjat, a former senior AusAID representative in Papua New Guinea and head of Australia’s aid programme in Indonesia, whose life
was tragically cut short in a plane crash in Indonesia on March 7, 2007.