NCD begins World AIDS Day drive

THE NCD provincial AIDS committee (PAC) last Friday presented K5,000 each to the four electorates in the nation’s capital to run programmes on HIV/AIDS awareness in the lead up to World AIDS Day next month.
With the theme “Testim na tritim emi rait bilong yu”, Community Development Minister and member for Moresby South Dame Carol Kidu was present at the event to officially launch the progamme.
Dame Carol urged the people to have checkups and seek available treatment for those living with the virus, adding that the fight against HIV/AIDS needed everyone’s help and not from just a few.
“We can’t do the work alone, it needs everyone’s help. Know your status, if you are positive, get treatment, if you are negative, stay negative,” Dame Carol said.
Also at the launch were stakeholders and partners for the four electorates including chairman of faith-based organisation (FBO)  and NCD PAC chairman pastor Daniel Hewali, counsellors and representatives from both Hope Worldwide and Helpim Bilong Yumi Project (HBYP).
Hewali added that statistics showed NCD had the highest HIV/AIDS prevalent rate in the country and that the people needed to start changing their behaviours in order to further prevent the spread of the virus.
He asked the other NCD open members to help by funding such programmes as there was a lot more that could be done.  
Hewali also appealed to the different denominations around the country to integrate their sermons this weekend in the lead up to World AIDS Day by including the message of addressing HIV/AIDS in PNG.