Polygamy ups AIDS cases

 POLYGAMY and prostitution contribute greatly to the spread of HIV/AIDS, according to the Aids Council secretariat for Hela and Southern Highlands.

It discovered that from 2010 to June this year, there was a rise in HIV/AIDS due to sexual relationships outside marriage. 

In a polygamy relationship, sex with non-regular partners accounted to 55% in Hela and 40% in Southern Highlands.

The council said husbands were largely to be blamed for being unfaithful, with more than 50% of men involved in sex outside marriage while 3% were involved in anal intercourse with a male partner. 

Southern Highlands monitoring and evaluation officer William Tom said Hela had 498 people (187 men, 311 women) diagnosed with the virus between 2010 and June this year.

Tom said Southern Highlands had 429 people (143 males, 286 females) diagnosed.

“The Catholic Health Service, Oil Search Health Foundation and Clinton Health Foundation played a major role in providing information, logistics support and rehabilitation over the last two years in integrating data,” he said.

He said in Southern Highlands, Ialibu-Pangia had the highest number of HIV cases recorded followed by the Inbonggu district.

“The Kagua-Erave district’s HIV testing coverage has a poor rating due to the fact that there is only one testing centre for the public in the Kuare LLG,” he said. 

Tom said for Hela, Tari-Pori had the highest number of HIV-positive recorded cases followed by the Komo-Margarima district.

“The female population with HIV cases is considerably greater than the male population in all districts.”