A Yale expert says more HIV testing and offering immediate prescriptions to people who test positive can help Malaysia meet its global HIV targets, which stood at 87-58-85 in 2020.
Malaysia failed to meet global 2020 HIV goals, attributed to the shift in the local HIV epidemiology landscape from needle-sharing to sexual transmission, as well as stigma and discrimination.
Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman says people who use drugs are disproportionately affected by HIV and viral hepatitis because of criminalisation, stigmatisation, and underfunding.
Khairy Jamaluddin says MOH data is based on risk factors for HIV like unprotected sex by not wearing condoms, rather than sexual orientations like LGBTQ.
Prof Adeeba Kamarulzaman estimates harm reduction programmes to decrease new HIV infections in Malaysia by 87% and save RM209.5 million in health care costs from 2013 to 2023.