Page 20 - IB December 2023

HIV HIV

AMIDST HIV SURGE, SOLIDARITY

IS KEY

By Kite Pareti estimated number of new infections in PNG, 18% of which
were young people 18-24 years old,” said UNAIDS PNG Country
Ten years ago, Christopher Lutukivuya was diagnosed as HIV- Director and Representative, Manoela Manova.
positive. “All 22 provinces are already reporting HIV infections,
“I actually didn’t tell anyone about my status,” he recalls. mostly on an increasing trend,” Manova said.
“I went home, placed my medication on the shelves, and I “While HIV prevalence has reached 1% among the general
asked my mother, ‘You don’t want to ask me what I’m taking?’ adult population 15-49 years old, HIV prevalence remains 18
That was me trying to tell her that I was living with HIV. My times higher among female sex workers, and 8 times higher
mother said, ‘No I don’t want to know’. I then said, ‘This is among men who have sex with men and transgender people,”
HIV medication’ and she replied, ‘Oh, that doesn’t make you Manova added.
any less of a son to me’. That [moment] sort of empowered UNAIDS is supporting the PNG government in updating their
me to a certain level in which I national HIV strategy to help
can be vocal about HIV.” ensure resources, and efficient
Lutukivuya shared his story implementation is in place.
during a panel session at the “The new strategy has a
recent Pacific Human Rights Film renewed and more effective
Festival in Suva. The screening HIV prevention and testing
showcased a series of short films components focusing on
from around the world, and were improving coverage, quality, and
so compelling they were watched introduction of new effective
in pin-drop silence. interventions in addition to
As an advocate for people peer-led outreach and condom
living with HIV in Fiji, Lutukivuya promotions such as pre-
believes there needs to be exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP),
more solidarity and common community HIV screening test
understanding on HIV/AIDS- (CBS), HIV self-test, and use of
related matters, and films such social media for intensified HIV
as those shown at the festival information campaigns,” she
could be one way of building added.
understanding. By end of 2022, PNG was
“This is something that we Christopher Lutukivuya providing free antiretroviral
have not done in the [recent] (ART) treatment to 43,800
years. We may have published [information] on the newspaper. persons living with HIV, Manova said.
We may have asked questions about how people living with “This medication is available in every province of Papua
HIV are coping in their daily lives. Yet, we have never really New Guinea (165 ART Clinics). It is important to note that
documented it [HIV] in the way it was being portrayed on film, because of the ART program, for more than a decade, PNG has
whereby it can be used as an advocacy tool and help those averted an approximately 28,000 HIV-related deaths by 2022,”
that are newly diagnosed or those that are still living with fear Manova added.
about HIV, thinking it’s a death sentence.”
Recent studies have shown a significant increase in HIV/AIDS Fiji surge
in two Pacific Island countries. The Fiji Ministry of Health (MoH) says 258 new cases of
Since 2010, Fiji and Papua New Guinea have recorded high HIV have been recorded in Fiji from January to September
numbers of new HIV infections in the Asia-Pacific region, 2023, including 10 cases among children. Half of the affected
according to UNAIDS statistics. Fiji saw a staggering 260% individuals are aged 20-29 and there have been 29 deaths this
increase in new cases, while PNG saw a 100% increase. year.
Daily HIV infections had almost doubled in a year, says PNG’s The MoH says 245 new cases of HIV were diagnosed in Fiji
National Aids Council Secretariat Acting Director, Tony Lupiwa. in 2022, until that point, the highest ever to be recorded
Lupiwa said an estimated 72,000 persons are now living in a year. It adds that adults constitute 94% (231 cases) and
with HIV throughout PNG. children 6% (14 cases). Males were the most affected with 61%
(150 cases), females recorded 36% (88 cases), and transgender
All PNG provinces affected with 3% (7 cases). 43% of the new cases are among individuals
“Last year, there were more women (62%) among the 6,500 aged 20-29 years and 28% are between 30-39 years.

20 Islands Business, December 2023