Fear of Testing is Costing Us Lives in PNG

In Papua New Guinea, we have a silent killer. And it’s not just HIV. It’s fear. Every day, men and women in Mt Hagen, Madang, Port Moresby, and villages across PNG walk past the clinic. They feel sick. They suspect something. But they turn away. Why? Because they are afraid to know. Afraid of what the nurse will say. Afraid of what the community will whisper. Afraid of losing their marriage, their job, their respect. So they choose not to test. And that choice is costing lives. Here is the hard truth Sir: Not knowing does not make HIV go away.* It makes it worse. When you don’t test, you don’t get treatment. When you don’t get treatment, the virus multiplies in your body. You get weaker. You get sick more often. And without knowing, you can pass it to someone else. Testing for HIV in PNG is free at government clinics and most health centers. It takes 15 minutes. A small finger prick. And the result is private. The law protects you. But fear is louder than the law. We tell ourselves "I’m fine" or "It won’t happen to me." But HIV does not care who you are. It can affect teachers, pastors, students, mothers, fathers. The only way to know is to test. And knowing is power. If you test negative, you can learn how to stay negative. If you test positive, you can start ARVs immediately. ARVs are free in PNG. They are strong medicine. With ARVs, people with HIV live long, healthy lives. They work. They have families. They have a future. But you cannot start ARVs if you never walk into the clinic. The fear also hurts our families. A man who is afraid to test will not tell his wife. A woman who is afraid will suffer in silence. And the biggest pain: babies are being born with HIV because the mother was too scared to test during pregnancy. We need to change this Sir. We need to make testing normal. Like checking for malaria or TB. Go with a friend. Go as a couple. Go because you love your family. To the health workers: Please welcome people with kindness. No judgement. No gossip. To the churches: Please preach hope, not shame. To everyone reading this: Book one day this month. Walk into your clinic and test. Know your status. Protect yourself. Protect PNG. Fear is not protecting us. Silence is not protecting us. Only truth and treatment can do that. Your life matters. Your family matters. Please test.