PM calls for health awareness

PRIME Minister James Marape has called on the National AIDS Council and Health Department to partner with the Education Department to carry out awareness on primary preventive health measures in schools.
At the launching of the PNG National STI (sexually-transmitted infections) and HIV (Human Immunodeficiency virus) Strategy 2018-2022 in Port Moresby, Marape said prevention was the first step in the health strategy of the country and that more emphasis should be given through awareness programmes.
He said statistics had improved in recent years but “we must not be complacent with the statistics and more awareness should be done not only on STI and HIV but also on other lifestyle diseases that will affect the growth and development of the country”.
“We have to continuously run educational awareness,” he said.
“Do not take for granted that people are aware of this matter. Some of them are still not clearly aware.”
Marape thanked the National AIDS Council, Health Department and development partners for the unified efforts in the approach to mitigate STI and HIV in the country.
He said: “I would say that many of our partners have helped us and morally, it is on us the government to step up and take the lead.”
Meanwhile, representing the church, Cardinal Sir John Ribat called on the Government to increase its domestic funds on ART (antiretroviral) medication and HIV prevention programmes in the country.
Sir John said according to the National AIDS spending assessment, a large percentage of funding support for AIDS programmes in the country have been coming from development partners.