By Lorraine Jimal
The United Nations AIDS in Papua New Guinea has launched the National HIV and STI Strategy 2024-2028 plan to address rising infection rates in the country.
UNAIDS Country Director, Ms. Manoela Manova, said.” As we stand on the cusp of launching the National HIV and STI Strategy 2024-2028, it is imperative to reflect on the journey that has brought us here and the path that lies ahead.”
She said that the launch of this strategy was not just a policy announcement it was a call for every sector of the society to join in the fight against HIV.
“The National HIV and STI Strategy 2024-2028 is our roadmap to reversing this trend and achieving global HIV targets by 2025.” said Ms. Manova.
She said that Papua New Guinea faced a daunting challenge with an increase in 101% new HIV infections since 2010. That was a wakeup call for every sector to work together to fight against HIV as this cannot be won in isolation. It required a collective effort of government, healthcare providers, civil society and the communities in addressing this issue.
She added that an innovative approach in terms of new technologies and methodologies, scaling up education and awareness campaigns could be used to control the infections as well.
“By embracing innovation, we can overcome the barriers that have hindered our progress and move closer to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” she said.
