HIV needs more work

Letters

I SUPPORT the statement made by the National AIDS Council director that even though Papua New Guinea has done its best to control HIV/AIDS, more effort is needed.
The number of new HIV-positive cases in PNG continue to increase. Statistically, we do not have to refer to the data to draw conclusions on the HIV programmes in the country because our data are unreliable and do not truly tell us about the HIV epidemic in PNG.
HIV is a complex issue, it is here to stay and it cannot be eradicated.
The rate of HIV infection in the country is rising because of the increase in the number of sex workers in the urban areas and the attitude towards implementing HIV programmes in the communities.
The Government does not do anything with the sex industry.
We have a problem with data collection, data entry and processing, data manipulation, management and the reporting of HIV.
The same is with the other epidemic we have, that of tuberculosis.
Basically, we are not being honest in our work and, therefore, our statistics are not reliable enough to be used as a tool in decision-making and policy formulation.

Eulogia Kareng
Back-Road Bumayong
Lae