Papua New Guinea Launches HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy

Papua New Guinea's Chief Secretary Joshua Kalinoe on Friday as part of the country's efforts to control the spread of HIV/AIDS in the workplace launched a national policy to address the disease, Papua New Guinea's The National reports. The policy provides guidelines on how to address people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in the workplace. According to The National, the government developed the policy because of statistics indicating that HIV/AIDS could contribute to a 37.5% reduction in Papua New Guinea's workforce by 2020, as well as a 7.5% reduction in the country's gross domestic product. Most HIV-positive people in Papua New Guinea are between ages 15 and 34, the most economically productive age group, according to The National. The government is invested in fighting HIV/AIDS, which has become a development issue and could have a harmful effect on the country's public and private sectors, Kalinoe said. According to Romanus Pakure, deputy director of the National AIDS Council, HIV/AIDS awareness efforts must be conducted among all sectors of society to fight the disease. He added that churches, nongovernmental organizations and community groups are actively involved in combating the disease in the country (Peter, The National, 7/25).