GoPNG Releases K6million for ART to AIDS Council ( Wednesday 7th July, 2010)
Good news at last for People Living with HIV and AIDS, the National Government today released K6 million to the National AIDS Council to fund the Antiretroviral Therapy or ART Drugs for the remainder of the year and into next year.
A cheque worth the said amount was presented by the Deputy Secretary of the National Planning and Monitoring Mr Jacob Mera on behalf of the government to the Director of the National AIDS Council Secretariat, Wep Kanawi this morning witnessed by senior officials from both organizations.
NACS Director Mr Kanawi in receiving the cheque expressed gratitude to the national government for assisting in the urgent plight of the PLHIVs who otherwise would have run the risk of breaking their first line treatment or even death.
NAC Chairman Sir Peter Barter also expressed similar sentiments saying funding for the ART to help 8000 plus PLHIVs and 4 000 children who are currently on treatment has been a major concern for the council after PNG missed out on the Round 9 of the Global Fund Application last year.
"But we are grateful that Prime Minister, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and his government have recognized this vital need for our PLHIVs and have honored their commitment in allocating these funds for ART" and most importantly taken ownership of the fight against the spread of HIV. Apart from the release of this K6m which was an interim measure, the GoPNG has committed itself to ensure that funds would be available in the 2011 budget for the continuation of treatment, Sir Peter said.
The chairman said these funds will be mainly used to purchase ART drugs as initially requested and that plans were already in place to purchase ART's and further expand the treatment beyond those already being treated he said.
"NACS has already made arrangements with WHO and UNESCO to use their purchasing and shipment system which is cheapest and most reliable," Sir Peter said.
Since the release of the funds, Sir Peter said he had received more than 30 calls thanking the NAC and the Government for the decision. Organisations that represent PLWA have been most appreciative, he said.
NAC Congratulates Igat Hope for going National ( Monday 5th July, 2010)
The National AIDS Council Chairman Sir Peter Barter has congratulated Igat Hope Inc for its achievement in becoming the national umbrella organization for People Living with HIV and AIDS and in spearheading the urgent needs of PLHIVs nationwide.
The decision for Igat Hope to be the national body for the PLHIVs was reached during its special general meeting in Port Moresby last week. This was applauded by Sir Peter.
Sir Peter Barter in congratulating the umbrella organization for the PLHIVs said such as important move is critical for PNG's response to the HIV epidemic.
"I am pleased to see that Igat Hope from its humble beginning in 2003 has come this far in its development to be the peak organization representing all positive people and their networks in the country," Sir Peter said.
"The decision by Igat Hope will not only benefit our positive people but more importantly the national response as a whole and I congratulate them for realizing this need'' the Chairman added.
Sir Peter said the NAC is also supportive of Igat Hope's other decision to have a new governing structure which will consist of a PLHIV representative from each province and governed by a national nine- member board.
"We believe through this structural arrangement, the voices of all positive people in the each province will be equally heard and their needs openly discussed", Sir Peter stressed.
The chairman has assured Igat Hope of the Council's continuous to support to ensure that the needs of the PLHIVs are addressed and met .
Indeed Sir Peter added that the need for PLHIVs' voices to be heard in all policy and decision making areas is an integral part of the legal charter of establishing his council in the first place which Igat Hope has a representative on the Council.
Sir Peter has also urged the other organizations to offer similar support to Igat Hope to ensure it fulfills its roles and responsibilities as the national voice for the PLHIVs.
Condom Provides Protection and does not promote Promiscuity
The National AIDS Council (NAC) has strongly opposed the recent media editorial in The National (Friday 05th February, 2010) which argued that condoms promote promiscuity.
NAC Chairman Sir Peter Barter has strongly argued that the use of condom from the HIV perspective is primarily to protect people from being infected with HIV and to stop those with the virus from transmitting it to others. Research undertaken on the use of condoms globally clearly refutes this claim as promiscuity has always been part of societies globally prior to the introduction of condoms originally as a birth control measure and more recently as an HIV/AIDS prevention measure. Sir Peter added that many Faith Leaders world wide now accept that promiscuity is not driven by or has increased due to condom use.
In the case of PNG the introduction of condoms as a prevention measure has not increased promiscuity as claimed in the editorial - rather it has provided a convenient excuse for those who are still in denial to continue to look the other way while allowing the virus to continue to spread.
"The Council will continue to promote condom as one of the prevention measures against HIV as it has been officially sanctioned as Government Policy and this will not change," according to Sir Peter.
The global ABC prevention campaign which has been accepted as policy lists condom as the last option open to those who practice promiscuity in situations where and when the human will power fails. Sir Peter reiterated that this must continue to be part of the choices available to people in their own defense - when they are confronted by risky settings which could lead to risky behavior.
Sir Peter added that while efforts are continuing in the world to discover a cure for HIV, it is the human thing to do on the part of the Council to protect our people by promoting research and sound HIV/AIDS prevention Public Health Policies. Condon use is still a significant component of the Government's over all risk management and prevention policies which relate to the wellbeing of our people.
Sir Peter lamented that sadly one of the main reasons attributed to the continuing increase in the number of HIV cases in PNG is not because of the ineffectiveness of our HIV Awareness campaigns or that condoms promote promiscuity instead of protecting them - but rather it is our people's could not care less attitude towards these messages.
The chairman also strongly refuted claims that the HIV and AIDS law - HIV Management and Prevention Act (HAMP Act) 2003 was "heavily tilted in favor" of People Living with HIV. He said that the law equally provides and allows for the recognition of those who are positive and provides leeway for those who are negative to take precautionary measures to protect themselves. Sir Peter agreed that although it may appear to be weak in intent in parts - it is still sound public policy and law and was drafted and enacted at a time when insufficient information on how the virus was going to affect the behavior of people in our many complex societies.
He added that because HIV/AIDS is a human behavior issue the HAMP Act has been enacted within the realm of acceptable public policy and more importantly it has taken Human Rights into consideration.
The chairman argued that most of the information covered in the report are inaccurate and not based on sound research or evidence and for this reason he has called on the media to act responsibly when publishing views expressed by individuals which contain wrong information.
"HIV/AIDS is a people issue and we must all become part of the solution - this includes the media as one of the Council's valued stakeholder," the Chairman added.
Sir Peter cautioned that PNG has come a long way in addressing the HIV epidemic and the information published in this editorial would diminish the good efforts of our many stakeholders in the country who are tirelessly working to combat the spread of the virus.
Shortly, we will be announcing a National Youth Debate on HIV and inviting educated young Papua New Guineans to contribute towards ways in which we can fight against the spread of HIV keeping in mind it is the young people that are at greatest risk - I am confident that this contribution will help to redefine the policies in the 2011-2106 National HIV/Aids Strategy currently under review. As Chair of NAC I am excited about this debate as it is a home grown initiative and I am sure will be a success if youths use this opportunity to tell the Government their ideas on curbing the spread of HIV in PNG.
Sir Peter said the churches provide one of the greatest hope against the fight against HIV and there is absolutely no question that family values remain paramount in addressing awareness and absolutely no attempt has been made and will be made to remove bibles from hotel rooms or anywhere else. Our greatest advocates in the fight against HIV are the faith based organizations most of whom agree that condoms are last line of defense and in the context of PNG culture and values and remain committed to the official HIV/Aids Strategy which was compiled in a multi-sectoral manner and maintain the A, B & C in that priority.