Australia and Papua New Guinea are deepening their partnership to address HIV, with a major boost in Australian support for a new community focused initiative.
Papua New Guinea is grappling with a challenging HIV situation, with new infections having doubled since 2010, and impacts felt across families and communities nationwide.
In response, Australia has significantly increased its HIV development assistance to Papua New Guinea since early 2025. This expanded support includes the renovation of major HIV clinics in Port Moresby to enable safer and more dignified care, support for youth-led education and outreach with a strong focus on women and girls, and strengthened partnerships with the Papua New Guinea Government, churches, the private sector and global agencies.
Central to this expanded support is a new initiative, HIV Outcomes, Resilience, Integration, Zero New Infections (HORIZON), which will support the national HIV response through targeted investments in high burden provinces. HORIZON will be implemented by UNICEF in partnership with a wide range of international and local organisations and stakeholders.
The initiative will support targeted training for 120 health workers across six provinces, expand access to HIV testing, prevention and treatment, and mobilise communities through empowering Village Health Assistants. It will also work to better protect mothers and infants and reduce new infections in these cohorts.
HORIZON aims to reach up to 3.3 million people, including more than 105,000 mothers and newborns, over the next two years.
This partnership is about more than funding. It is about supporting local leadership, strengthening health systems and supporting a sustainable, long-term response to HIV in Papua New Guinea.
Together, Australia and Papua New Guinea are turning commitment into action, protecting lives and building healthy communities.
Quote attributable to Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, H.E. Mr Ewen McDonald:
“Australia and Papua New Guinea are close neighbours, friends and strategic allies, and we support each other in times of need.”
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HORIZON funding will support reduced HIV infections for mothers and newborns.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100