29/11/2025
By Theodro Psalmson| PNG SUN|
The country is facing a rapidly worsening HIV crisis, with 30 new infections recorded every day, while seven infants are born daily with HIV through mother-to-child transmission.
This alarming situation was highlighted by His Eminence Sir John Cardinal Ribat, MSC, DD, KBE, in his World AIDS Day 2025 message, calling on the nation to urgently respond to the escalating threat.
Speaking to local media on Friday, Cardinal Ribat said the declared HIV crisis demands immediate and united action from leaders, churches, communities and individuals.
He warned that without strong intervention, the rising infection rates will continue to endanger families the core fabric of Papua New Guinea’s society.
The global theme for World AIDS Day 2025, “Overcoming Disruptions, Transforming the AIDS Response,” reflects the severe impact that cuts to international donor funding have had on HIV programs worldwide.
Cardinal Ribat said this theme accurately mirrors PNG’s reality, where disruptions in HIV services have intensified due to reduced funding and weakened national coordination.
He explained that the global funding crisis in 2025 severely disrupted community-led HIV services, sidelined vulnerable populations, and increased human rights violations, making HIV treatment and prevention harder to access.
These challenges, he said, have also been felt across PNG.
Cardinal Ribat expressed concern that Papua New Guinea has “gone quiet” in its HIV response, assuming the epidemic was under control.
He said the Government of PNG and the National AIDS Council Secretariat (NACS) the mandated body to coordinate national HIV programs have been largely inactive for almost a decade due to lack of funding and operational support.
This, he noted, has weakened the country’s ability to guide and sustain effective HIV response programs.
As national coordination weakened, many church-run and NGO HIV programs scaled down, creating further gaps in STI and HIV services. Several church health facilities, he said, now struggle to treat people living with HIV due to drug shortages and limited resources.
However, despite major setbacks, Cardinal Ribat acknowledged positive progress driven by the Government and church health services.
Since 2010, 40,800 deaths have been prevented through expanded anti retroviral therapy, and 3,400 infant infections have been averted through prevention-of-mother-to-child transmission programs.
These achievements, he said, show that “there is still light at the end of the tunnel” if support for HIV programs is strengthened.
Cardinal Ribat urged the Government to increase funding for health and HIV programs in the 2026 National Budget, especially for the purchase of antiretroviral drugs and support for community-based initiatives.
He emphasized that addressing HIV requires not only testing and awareness, but also confronting deeper root causes such as poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, gender-based violence, stigma, discrimination, and the decline in moral and Christian values.
He announced that the PNG Christian Leaders HIV Strategy 2026–2030 will focus on addressing these underlying factors.
This strategy will strengthen moral and health education in church-run schools and promote nationwide awareness programs, including strong collaboration between churches, government agencies, state-owned enterprises, development partners, and NACS.
Cardinal Ribat also acknowledged key partners such as the Government of PNG, the National Department of Health, UNAIDS, WHO, the UN family, the Australian High Commission (DFAT), and many community groups that continue to support the churches' HIV response.
He called on every citizen to take responsibility by encouraging family members, friends, and church communities to undergo early HIV testing.
Early diagnosis, he said, allows patients to begin treatment early and live long, healthy lives. He also urged all pregnant mothers to get tested during antenatal visits to ensure their babies are born free from HIV.
Ending his message, Cardinal Ribat encouraged Papua New Guineans to live responsibly and uphold Christian values, saying transformation begins with a change of heart, mindset, and behavior.
“Let us stand together, strengthen our families, and take action,” he said. “Thank you, and may God bless us all.”
