HIV/AIDS campaign a success

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry's aggressive campaign against HIV/AIDS since 2002 is finally paying off, with the country seeing a decline in new cases.
Yearly reported HIV cases has seen a gradual reduction from 6,978 cases in 2002 to 3,393 cases in 2013.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Hilmi Yahaya said not only were they seeing a decline in new cases but also a reduction in HIV transmission from 28.4 per 100,000 in 2002 to 11.4 per 100,000 in 2013.
"The nation is almost reaching the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of 11 (cases) per 100,000 (of the population) by 2015," he told a press conference after presenting a cheque for RM6.3 million to the Malaysian AIDS Committee (MAM).
Since 1986, a total of 121,907 people were victims of HIV/AIDS, out of which 16,340 died.
Hilmi said our excellent achievement in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS has won international recognition and the United Nations Malaysia Award 2013 in October last year.
Hilmi said HIV in Malaysia is still in the "concentrated epidemic" level, meaning it is confined to only the "most-at-risk" population, namely drug addicts, sex workers and transgender and homosexual groups.
"The transmission among the general population was (found to be) low, at 0.4%," he added.
He said the ministry is taking several proactive measures to combat HIV through the National Strategic Plan and Strategic Plan 3 for the period 2011-2015.
The government has also given RM78.8 million to MAM since 2003 for various activities to reduce HIV/AIDS cases in the country.