HIV positive people told to head fight

PEOPLE living with HIV are the best implementers for programmes set by the National AIDS Council, according to a social worker.
This was because they had been through it and were in a better position to convince others to come out,  programme coordinator for People Living with Higher Aims (PLWHA) Joseph Egu said.
Mr Egu said that if HIV positive people took the lead, this would lure others to go to voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) centres.
Mr Egu made this appeal to the southern region HIV response coordinators in their workshop last Tuesday.
He said his organisation employed HIV positive people to work in the villages in Madang province and also at the Modilon Hospital where they were paid a salary to sustain themselves.
“PLWHA was created last August and we aim at empowering (HIV) positive people so that they
will drive the messages or responses back into the communities,” Mr Egu said.
The PLWHA is funded by the AusAID and USAID and are backed by the Family Health International to provide care and treatment for all illnesses in Madang villages.
Mr Egu said that their two programmes – Real involvement of (HIV) positive people with continuing of care and Community home-base care- were aimed at caring for the community.
NACS acting director Wep Kanawi called for organisations and NACS to use people living with HIV to carry out prevention strategies and other programmes.
He said HIV positive people would be better suited because it was from their experiences that better and realistic programmes could be made.