Get Funding to Fight HIV & Violence in PNG

The Local Capacity Initiative (LCI) toward Country Leadership seeks to engage Civil Society Organizations (CSO) that are capable of increasing effective local health systems/services or networks to address the HIV response by increasing a national commitment to quality HIV activities especially for key populations (KPs). Civil society organizations are defined as: an array of non-governmental local organizations and networks (professional associations, religious organizations, community associations (local school committees, health user groups), not-for-profit organizations at national district and local levels), and has a multiplicity of potential roles in a country‘s health response. These roles include service delivery, advocacy, health education and promotion, and as a key stakeholder that engages in planning and monitoring at multiple levels.There is limited population based data in Papua New Guinea (PNG) collected on key populations but some of the available research shows alarming risk behavior and HIV prevalence rates in key populations. One study (Askim na Save (Ask and Understand): People who sell and exchange sex in Port Moresby 2011) showed 72% of male sex worker respondents reported having commercial sex in the last 12 months used a condom with their most recent opposite sex client for anal intercourse and very concerning 17.79% of sex workers in Port Moresby who were tested, tested positive for HIV.

Based on this data and others, there is enhanced focus on targeting this most affected key populations in PNG to have largest impact on curbing the HIV epidemic in country.