Know your status, get tested & live longer : International AIDS day
Students from certain schools in the city also turned up in numbers to get information on HIV and AIDS at the information booths provided by the National Department of Health and other partners that assist in combating the AIDS epidemic in PNG.
Director for the National AIDS Council Secretariat Mr Peter Bire reminded the students that their population group is the most at risk population in contracting the HIV & AIDS virus and they need be aware of the risk involved when engaging in sexual activities.
“Youths are at the centre of this epidemic and we need to target this particular age group when we are doing awareness because this particular group will decide to either prevent this disease or contract it and increase the number of AIDS cases in the years to come” said Mr Bire
Meanwhile, Mr Bire urged the general public to get tested and know their status in order to live longer.
“Everyone has a HIV status, you either negative or you either positive, taking a HIV test won’t change your status but will it will guide you in protecting you from the risk if found negative or you can get treatment quickly if found positive,” said Mr Bire.
NCD governor Powes Parkop also called on city residents to change their sexual behaviors by staying true to one partner and avoid the risk of contracting this killer disease that destroys families.
The current HIV and AIDS figure are shown below:
• 32,000 people are living with HIV in PNG
• 60,000 projected number of people living with HIV
• 24,000 people have died from AIDS related illnesses
• 4151 children aged 0-14 are living with HIV in PNG
• National Prevalence Rate 0.65%
• 18,000 people are registered at AIDS Clinics and they are receiving treatment
PNGFM
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