Global AIDS - Papua New Guinea

July 27, 2004 - Post-Courier newspaper - 'Focus' Feature - "Fighting AIDS, overcoming barriers" By Christina Kewa

IN PAPUA New Guinea alone, there are many underlying issues which affect the spread of the epidemic, including poverty, high levels of other sexually transmitted infection and the unfair treatment of women — which often means they are not able to protect themselves from infections.

For example, many PNG women cannot influence their partner’s sexual faithfulness because of fear of violence or loss of financial support.

Changing the behaviour — reducing numbers of sex partners and using condoms — is difficult to achieve in PNG, says the PNG National AIDS Council.

Sexual behaviour in PNG is linked to cultural beliefs and attitudes — and these take time to change. Support for change is needed from all levels of society in the country, including governments, communities, individuals and the nation as a whole.

Issues of cultural sensitivity and behaviour have remained the biggest hindrances in the fight to address HIV/AIDS issues in the country. Many people are too fearful and embarrassed to talk about sexual patterns and behaviours in society. In many parts of the country, sexual language is forbidden or is a “taboo” (banned or forbidden subject).

And the Highlands of PNG is no exception.

In the outskirts of Mt Hagen, the capital of Western Highlands Province, a young girl living with AIDS is faced with fears of admitting that she has AIDS.

Sarah, a classic example of a person not educated or less educated about the spread of the disease, has ended up with the disease and though the symptoms are readily noticed with major organs like her heart and lungs being affected, Sarah is still too scared to openly admit that she is living with AIDS.

Although, she denied living with — and being affected by — AIDS, when we first met last Wednesday in her little village on the outskirts of Mt Hagen, Sarah has demonstrated obvious symptoms of the disease. Some of these have been the weakening functions of her major organs like the heart and lungs with a major loss of weight and continuous diarrhoea.

Sarah said she was diagnosed with typhoid and malaria at the Mt Hagen General Hospital after she was tested three times. She has done another test and was waiting results. She spoke in pidgin and the Mt Hagen vernacular and said:

“I have done three blood tests in Hagen hospital but was told I had typhoid and malaria. And medicine given to me has not helped. I have done another test at the Kudjip hospital and am awaiting results.

“Many people in this village think I have AIDS but I don’t. I have never slept with any man . . . but I will only wait to see what the tests say. I only have heart and lung problems and too much diarrhoea, when I am eating.”

Sarah was first met in her home in the tiny village on a fine Wednesday morning when Post-Courier and the Courier-Mail newspaper of Brisbane, Australia first came in contact with her.

Managing director of the South Pacific Post Limited, (Post-Courier’s parent company) Bob Howarth and Australian-based photographer of the Courier-Mail newspaper Rob Maccoll were visiting villages in the outskirts of Mt Hagen to educate Papua New Guineans and feature issues of HIV/AIDS in the Highlands.

Pretty, young and aged only 18, Sarah first came to the realisation her body was deteriorating and she was losing her life at the age of 17. And for the last 12 months, she has been trying to come to terms with the fact that she could be AIDS-positive.

She did not want to admit it openly, but told the papers: “I am only waiting for the next result.

“Everyone here thinks I have AIDS but I don’t think so. I will wait to see and will tell you when the results come out.”

While Sarah denied having slept with any men, immediate members of her family — and those close to her and living within her village — have seen Sarah with many men.

“Sarah was a really big and well-built young girl, but at her early teens she was sleeping around with many men and that is why we believe she is infected with AIDS,” a family source told the papers.

Mr Howarth offered financial support to Sarah for medical bills and made a commitment for further support as long as Sarah was seeking medical help.

“We would like to help the unfortunate and with our focus on fighting AIDS and addressing issues that affect a lot of women in PNG, we see Sarah as a classical example,” Mr Howarth said. “And we believe we can make a huge difference and help those who are being affected to come out and allow their stories to become lessons for others.”

Sarah’s story is a classic example of many other people in PNG who are living with HIV/AIDS but have refused to talk about these issues affecting themselves and those around them.

This is because of cultural barriers and societal pressures such as potential rejection.

Sarah’s close relatives said: “Sarah weighed over 70 kilograms and was a 17-years-old girl when she caught AIDS, we believe”.

“Up till today, we know that she is living with AIDS but it is hard for her to admit because she is embarrassed — and also is scared that she will be rejected by her family and clan members, simply because she has not been married. This may be embarrassing for her family’s reputation,” a close relative said.

Sarah’s case is an example of why AIDS is difficult to address in PNG with so many cultural barriers and “taboos”.

“These are sobering statistics. Urgent action must be taken for the sake of Papua New Guineans and for the sake of the country’s future,” they said.

Australia’s support to fight HIV/AIDS is provided in partnership with the Government and people of PNG.

Through the Australia-PNG Aid program, most of this support is given under the National HIV/ AIDS Support Project. It is a $A60 million or K120 million commitment over a five-year period, said Mr Davidson and Dr Ninkama.

HIV/AIDS is having an enormous impact on the lives of thousands of Papua New Guineans and is now one of the most common causes of death in the country. The challenges of HIV/AIDS are very complex and not easy to combat.