Global AIDS - Papua New Guinea

Welcome to the San Michel project within the Bethany Hospice complex -just outside Port Moresby - Papua New Guinea's first HIV/AIDS hospice.

The Australian AIDS Fund has been supporting this project since mid 2002, when it donated three container loads of furniture and equipment for the Franciscans to help build, furnish and equip this purpose built unit which has also attracted Australian government funding through AusAID - the Australian Agency for International Development. We especially acknowledge that support and the especial interest and concern of Mr Alexander Downer, Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, in the HIV plight of Papua New Guinea.

That support also recognises the particular work of Fr Jude Ronayne-Forde OFM, the Port Moresby -based Franciscan priest whose project it is, and whose radio talks, in English and Pidgin, are also carried on this website.

The big metal containers which carried the furniture and equipment to PNG have also been actually incorporated into the construction of the San Michel building, which takes its name from the Franciscan-owned San Michel facility at Camberwell, in Victoria, which was operated by The Australian AIDS Fund for many years.

In addition to the Bethany Hospice project, the Franciscans also operate a Day Care Centre - the Simon of Cyrene centre - at Hohola, a Port Moresby suburb. The Centre is attached to a government-run clinic - the St. Therese Clinic.The Franciscans offer the following services: information and awareness -counselling-HIV blood testing - medical treatment -resting facilities: meal,bed, shower and laundry - and more.

The 3 steel containers used to ship furniture and equipment for San Michel from Melbourne to Pt. Moresby

3 steel containers used to ship furniture & equipment for San Michel from Melbourne to Pt. Moresby.

The San Michel building will provide:

Ground Level

Three (3) units -with a main living room (20 x 12feet) with two bedrooms (8 x 10 feet = the container)
Community kitchen, laundry, showers and toilets will be in a separate outside building
There's an additional spare room, in the middle of the containers (12-20 feet) - possibly a store room.
12 patrients can be ccatered for on the ground level.

Upper Level

Three (3) units -first floor -self-contained flats;
There are two small flats - one on each end of the building considting of two bedrooms ( 8 x 10 feet) and a large open room (10 x 16) -shower and toilet.
The main, central, flat has two bedrooms (8 x 10 feet) on one side - a central, open room running through both sides of the building
(16 x 20) - kitchen (8 x 10) and bathroom (8 x 10) on the other side.
The main flat would be for the carers - the Religious Sisters - while one of the End-Flats would be used by security staff.

This project, without parallel in Papua New Guinea, is a huge leap from the earlier Melbourne-based facility programs run by The Australian AIDS Fund and reflects the urgent need for Australia to focus on this dreadful plight on our very geographic doorstep.

The United Nations has warned AIDS could kill around 70 million people in the next 20 years if richer nations like Australia don't help their poorer neighbours, which is why we very much applaud Australia's significant HIV/AIDS funding increase announced at the 2004 Thailand AIDS summit, and the choice and appointment by Foreign Minister Downer of Australia's first Special Representative for HIV/AIDS, Ms Annmaree O'Keeffe. (See our Australia page for details)