HIV cases increasing in Southern Highlands

By YVONNE HAIP
MORE HIV cases have been reported in Southern Highlands and Hela provinces, with 90% of those infected contracting the disease from having unprotected sex, the provincial AIDS council says.
Last year, 240 new confirmed cases were reported, taking to 927 the number of cases reported. Women make up more than half that number because more women are turning up for testing.
The council said there was little or no support from the provinces’ political and public service office.
It admitted it cannot fight the spread of the epidemic alone.
Council monitoring and evaluation officer, William Tom urged the provincial administration to join the fight against HIV.
He said the increase in the number of confirmed cases was a result of the monitoring and evaluation framework in the country, which had contributed towards improved HIV/AIDS related data reporting at ward level and processing and analysis at the provincial level.
Tom said the provincial monitoring, evaluation, surveillance team reported 240 (91 male, 149 female) cases after conducting tests on 14,762 people (5,113 male, 9,649 female) from the province’s 34 testing sites.
The Catholic HIV testing programme tested 60% (8,867 people), Oil Search HIV programme 25% (3,855 people) and others such as Nina Clinic 15% (2,220).
The Oil Search HIV programme is responsible for coordinating HIV/AIDS programmes in the petroleum development impact areas in Hela and Southern Highlands.
Of the 240 cases, Imbonggu district recorded the highest number of cases, followed by Tari-Pori, Mendi Munihu, Nipa, and Koroba-Lake Kopiago.
Ialibu-Pangia and Kagua-Erave districts recorded low HIV cases because of fewer testing centres serving a combined population of 105,314 people (2000 national census).
Tom said the epidemic would continue to spread, especially during the election period, and called for the political and public machinery system to look seriously into the issue.
He said since unprotected sex was the mode of transmission, the effective prevention activity was through the supplying of condoms at the ward level, and the administration had to fund this and ensure that information and communication material were available there.