03/12/2025
Triple Elimination Strategy 2024 – 2028 launched
The Port Moresby General Hospital together with the National Department of Health and its partners and stakeholders commemorated World AIDS Day with the launching of the Triple Elimination Strategy 2024 – 2028.
Health Minister, Hon. Elias Kapavore, said that the purpose of the launch was to ensure the program was implemented immediately and that PMGH played an important role in delivering it.
He stated that mother-to-child transmission remained high, with an estimated 2,700 infants newly infected with HIV in 2024—seven babies every day. He explained that many of these infections occurred because mothers were unaware of their HIV status and missed essential treatment, and he stressed that this situation was preventable.
He said that the Triple Elimination Strategy was a commitment to the nation’s children and aligned with the WHO initiative, the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals, the National Health Plan 2021–2030, MTDP IV, and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. He added that the vision was clear: no baby should be born with HIV, syphilis, or hepatitis B, and that the launch marked an important step toward achieving this goal.
Speaking on behalf of the Management of PMGH was Director Medical Services, Dr Kone Sobi who described this launch as a call to action.
“The Triple Elimination Strategy represents a significant public health commitment to prevent and ultimately to eliminate parental child transmission of the three major infections that continue to impact mothers, newborns, families, and communities across this country.”
Dr Sobi said that Port Moresby General Hospital as the country's leading testing and referral centre has this year recorded approximately 1,086 visits a quarter and 300 attendance every month, mainly during events confirmed with child transmission of HIV alone.
He added that the pediatric wards had admitted around 5 infants every month with confirmed HIV infection alone, with complications such as respiratory infection, malnutrition, and gastroenteritis. He said the case fatality of these admissions was 20%.
He explained that one in every four-child admitted with a confirmed HIV status ended up dying due to these complications, highlighting an urgent need for strengthened prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. He noted that follow-up remained a major challenge.
Dr Sobi stated that the future of immigration security aligned with global goals and reflected national commitment to ensuring every child in Papua New Guinea is born free of HIV. He said that this required coordinated efforts across antenatal services, maternity care, pediatric public health programs, community outreach, and strong partnerships among government agencies, healthcare workers, development partners, and families.
This launch was made possible through the collective support of UNICEF, WHO, UNAIDS, UNFPA, the PNGAus Partnership, FHI360, and World Vision, who have been working together to prevent HIV transmission and ensure every child in PNG is born free of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B.
