Antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected people in Papua New Guinea: challenges and opportunities

Antiretroviral treatment services for Papua New Guineans infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) have been severely limited because of the expense and difficulty in gaining access to antiretroviral drugs and the tests that are required to monitor the response of patients to them. Because some Papua New Guineans are beginning to seek out these services in Australia, clinicians are being challenged to manage the condition properly across an international border. Several case histories presented here highlight such difficulties. Progress is being made to reduce drug prices and simplify tablet-taking regimens, which has made the use of antiretroviral therapy more feasible. We briefly discuss infrastructure requirements for the more widespread provision of antiretroviral treatment services within Papua New Guinea