17 Aug 2007

Australian League team to promote prevention of HIV in PNG

3:30 pm on 17 August 2007

The Australian rugby league side heading to Papua New Guinea will be carrying a special message for the local population.

The Prime Minister's thirteen that makes their third trip, will be coached by former great Mal Meninga who is joined by Sydney Roosters National Rugby League coach Brad Fittler.

The PNG league administrator, Jeff Wade, says the messages about the prevention of HIV and violence against women, will be visible on and off the field.

"They have those slogans on their jerseys and around the fields and their training gears, wherever they go the message is given to those people, and they do actually go into the settlements where those problems are fairly prevalent so they are actually getting to the source of the problem."

Jeff Wade.

It's estimated that as many as 200'000 people in PNG have HIV.