People with HIV want voice

By URSULA-JANE BOGG
UPNG journalism student
ABOUT 35,000 people living with HIV in PNG want to be represented on provincial AIDS councils.
As the country prepares to mark World AIDS Day on Friday, they have urged parliamentarians to make health care services easily accessible to them, especially in rural areas.
In an open letter to MPs, Igat Hope, a national body representing people living with HIV in the country, said it wanted to be included in the planning and delivery of HIV treatment, care and support services in the provinces.
Igat Hope said women living with HIV faced problems such as:
l    Limited access to HIV medicine, especially in rural areas;
l    Lack of involvement in the planning and provision of HIV treatment, care and support services and in the management of provincial and district AIDS councils; and
l    The high level of stigma, discrimination and abuse of people living with HIV.
Statistics provided by Igat Hope showed 60% of new infections in 2010 comprised women.
The National HIV-AIDS strategy (2011-15) aims to provide antire­troviral medicine to at least 80% of people living with the virus in the country.
But Igat Hope said only 60% were receiving it last year.
It said in 2011 and this year, there were periods when HIV medicine was not available in the country.
The Business Coalition against HIV/AIDS (BAHA) has urged people to wear red on Friday.
BAHA official Joe Bukikun said they picked Friday because it was the last working day of the week.
The theme for the day is “Getting to zero AIDS-related deaths, new infections, stigma and discrimination”.