The study, Kauntim mi tu ("Count me too") was released on 16 May in Port Moresby by the PNG Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS, the Honourable Sir Puka Temo.

Populations considered most at risk for HIV and sexually transmissible infections (STIs) are female sex workers; men who have sex with men; and transgender women.

HIV prevalence among female sex workers in Port Moresby was 14.9%, Lae 11.9% and Mt Hagen 19.6%.

Even more concerning is that less than half those were aware they had the virus.

Among men who have sex with men and transgender people, HIV prevalence was 8.5% in Port Moresby and 7.1% in Lae.

"Far more work needs to be undertaken to ensure increased access to testing," said principal investigator Dr Kelly Hanku.

"However, equally concerning is the high prevalence of stigma, sexual and physical violence, poverty and depression experienced by these populations."

The report revealed that almost half the female sex workers, men who have sex with men and transgender women surveyed said they felt they needed to hide their sexual practices when accessing health services.

"People who are concerned about stigma from health services may be deterred from attending and will not be able to receive the full range of services available," she said.

"This is why a holistic approach to HIV and STIs is urgently needed in PNG, alongside a scale-up in the supply of essential antibiotics and HIV treatment."

Source

• asopa.typepad.com
• kirby.unsw.edu.au
• Image: oxfam.org.nz Anne Lockley

Ribat is the Archbishop of Port Moresby and the chairman of Papua New Guinea Christian Leaders Alliance.

"I'm afraid to say that people and the Government are thinking that this is a small thing now and is not of grave concern.

"But the alarming situation is that while we stop thinking about it and worrying about it, it continues to rise and this a worrying thing for me."

Ribat asked people to think seriously about this issue and not to engage in practices that would allow this virus to continue to spread and affect the people.

"Partners must be faithful in the living of their marriage promises and be faithful to one another. Abstain from sex because it is through this that this infection is spreading."

Ribat also addressed the issue when he spoke at the UN AIDS and UN Women media awards night.

He acknowledged the efforts the journalists had made and linked it to the work being done by the churches.

"Seeing what the journalists are doing, you encourage us to be with you and help you to bring the message out clearly to the people of PNG, knowing that we are united to address these recurring issues in the country."

Previously Ribat had addressed the issue at a service at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Koki.

He said as a church, they must be part of the lives of people living with PLHIV and AIDS and provide the love, care and support they need and stand united with them.

He encouraged the churches to put their differences aside and work in unity to address the fight against HIV and AIDS and be the voice of the needy.

Source

• Post Courier
• Post Courier
• Loop
• Image: The National

They also must ensure the promotion of good governance "as we continue to provide vital basic services to our people in PNG."

Chairman of PNG Christian Leaders Alliance on HIV and AIDS, Cardinal Sir John Ribat made these comments when he presented the acquittal of K300,000 to the National Gaming Control Board (NGCB) community benefit fund this week.

"NGCB supported the first HIV Summit for Heads of Churches with K300,000, and as our commitment we are honouring it by documenting our acquittals report and presenting it back to our sponsor," he said.

An acquittal report is a financial report which includes an income and expense statement to show how a grant has been used.

The HIV Summit was launched in Port Moresby in March.

More than 20 heads of churches took part.

Ribat said at the time one of the great intentions for the HIV summit was to bring the heads of churches together so they could speak about the virus, which is a public health issue in Papua New Guinea.

He said the summit was the first of its kind and is critical for the PNG church leaders, as it would help them to strategise more proactively towards addressing sensitive issues relating to the spread of HIV.

The leaders will be able to "... further discuss HIV and other cross-cutting agendas, learn from the current HIV situation, identify existing gaps in the response and how we as a collective voice can address these issues within our networks," he said.

Source

• Asia Pacific Report
• Post Courier
• Sunday Chronicle
• Image: The National

A "think tank" was held recently to look at the nature and extent of the problem and how the Church might respond.

Archbishop Douglas Young of Mt Hagen told Radio Australia International that the scale of the problem hasn't been fully identified.

But the archbishop said there are 100 children "on our books", who "AIDs orphans of some type".

"Some are being cared for by older relatives or grandparents; some are living in an independent household," he said.

Local women have been taking in children they consider to be abandoned.

One woman is looking after 14 children and another 20, the archbishop said.

The church is looking at ways it can help them and the girls.

A religious sister is running a care centre for vulnerable young girls.

Archbishop Young said there appears to be a variety of reasons for the homeless children issue including rapid social change and the breakdown of traditional values.

The Mt Hagen archdiocese was alerted to the problem when a girl was rescued after being tortured as a witch.

Her parents were killed in the same way, and all her siblings scattered, so she was "completely vulnerable", Archbishop Young said.

She was eventually accepted into care by religious sisters, but the archdiocese realised it had no system or structure to handle something like this.

But support from government to address the problem is very sparse, Archbishop Young said.

"It does fall back on churches and individuals."

But Archbishop Young said that as a nation, Papua New Guinea can do much better.

Source

• Radio Australia International
• Image: Digicell PNG Foundation

But The mainstream churches in PNG are working with the United Nations and non-government organisations to help people access services.

Catholic archbishop John Ribat is a member of the Christian Leaders Alliance.

"Our concern as churches is to come together to address this HIV and AIDS and fight against the discrimination that continues to divide us," he said.

Pastor Godfrey Wippon heads PNG's Revival Centres and says his is the fastest growing religious movement in the country.

"It is growing because of healings, miracles, wonders, science happening in this ministry. The Lord heals," he said.

Pastor Wippon believes baptism and prayer can cure AIDS and even bring the dead back to life.

Health workers have told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that revivalists visit hospitals and clinics telling HIV patients to throw away their medication.

In a case that shocked many, one of PNG's first openly HIV-positive women, Helen Samilo, fell prey to the revivalist message.

Even though she was working as an advocate for anti-retroviral treatment, Ms Samilo joined a revivalist church, stopped taking medication, and died in August last year.

"It's just the revival church that told her not to take her medication. They are responsible for her death," Ms Anton, a friend of Ms Samilo, said.

"It's just the revival church that told her not to take her medication. They are responsible for her death," said Margaret Anton, president of Women Affected by HIV/AIDS, PNG.

Pastor Wippon sees Ms Samilo's death differently.

"She has been healed spiritually. She died physically, naturally. But spiritually she's right with the Lord," he said.

Source

• Radio Australia News
• Image: abc.net.au

In Ranong, I taught English in a learning centre and I was amazed by the children's interest in learning and by their respect for their teachers.

I also realized that learning English and Thai can make the difference for them in having and not having "a future".

I was also able to work with the HIV Project.

Our help is integral but, what the patients value most is to know that somebody cares for them.

I could see how a terminal patient felt relieved and calm after our visit.

We did very little during our short visit, but for that person we brought relief.

He died less than 48 hours later.

The last part of my experience was the visit to three refugee camps in the Northwest of Thailand. The life in the refugee camp is very tough.

• the refugees cannot get out of the camp,
• nor go freely into Thailand
• they cannot farm nor work
• they have no money and almost no rights
• they depend on UNHCR and other NGO's
• their life is monotonous and without attraction.

It seems they do not exist, and are trapped in the middle of the jungle.

Two camps have dormitories for children whose parents have gone back to Myanmar but the children remain to study.

During our farewell, one boy with whom I had had a nice chat asked me:

'Will you remember me?'

'Yes, I will," I replied.

"Good, because I'll remember you', he said.

'Will you pray for me? ', he asked again.

'Sure,' I replied.

'Good, I'll pray for you too,' he added.

Lastly, he asked me, 'Will you miss me?'

Then, with my heart touched, I replied, 'yes, I'll miss you'.

How big has to be your longing for appreciation, for attention, for acknowledgement in order to 'beg' a stranger to miss you?

In this moment I realized what it is like to be a refugee: they feel abandoned and ignored.

These people need many things, especially good education and basic resources, but I have realized that the only thing I could do for them now is to keep their memory alive and their voice loud and not to allow our memories and consciences rest until they will be able to return to their real home.

For these are the lowly ones; those of whom Mary foretells in the Magnificat that were lifted up by the Lord (Lk 1,52). They should be the most important because they are the least ones.

- Daniel Fernandez
A Marist seminarian studying Theology in Rome was with the Marist Mission Ranong on mission placement during the Italian summer break.