With the up-coming 2022 National General Elections, many Papua New Guineans want to see changes after the elections when respected members & governors voted into parliament settle in their newly appointed seats as the voice for their people.
Mr Gairo Kapana Provincial HIV/AIDS Coordinator Central Provincial Health Authority (CPHA) said from experience as a health worker going around the 5 districts in the province, most of the infrastructures are in poor conditions and need immediate renovations.
“Manpower is also a day-to-day problem that is faced. Clinical staffs are not checking patients properly due to shortage of staff,” said Mr Kapana.
He also added that, people from the outer villages in the province cannot make it into town due to no transportation or given the common reason that the main hospitals (POM GEN/Gerehu Hospital) are too far to reach.
In line with the countries goal to end HIV/AIDS by the year 2050, Mr Kapana said they are currently looking at 270 clients in the ART program from the 16 sites in the province with most of these clients aged between 20 to 35 years of age.
Mr Kapana believes that there are youths/young people out there that are living with HIV but don’t know their status due to stigma and discrimination and not much awareness being carried out on this important area of concern.