AIDS epidemic is ‘galloping’ through Papua New Guinea

AN AIDS epidemic is “galloping” through impoverished Papua New Guinea, spread by polygamous marriages and inadequate government health and education programmes, United Nations officials warn.

Dr Nii-k Plange, the country’s co-ordinator for UNAIDS, said the problem is so bad unclaimed bodies of AIDS victims pile up in the morgue of the country’s main hospital until a charity collects them to give them a decent burial.

The UN group says 40,000 people in the country of five million are living with the HIV virus and the epidemic is being spread by people who have unprotected sex with multiple partners.