Homosexual HIV cases on the rise in Malaysia

Nearly two in three new cases of HIV transmissions in 2018 resulted from male homosexual intercourse, according to Malaysia’s health ministry.

In a post on its Facebook page the Health Ministry said intravenous drug use had been the main method of transmission in the 1990’s, accounting for 61 percent of cases while sexual activity, both heterosexual and homosexual had accounted for only 5 percent.

This was followed by efforts by authorities who embarked on nationwide needle-and-syringe exchange programmes to create awareness on the dangers of needle sharing and reuse among intravenous drug users.

In 2018, intravenous drug use reduced to just 3 per cent of new HIV transmissions. The government’s efforts now has shifted towards addressing unprotected sex as both heterosexual and homosexual now account for over nine in 10 cases detected in 2018.

Male homosexual intercourse accounted for 57 per cent of the cases, while heterosexual encounters were responsible for 37 per cent.

Meanwhile, Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) president Bakhtiar Talhah said the rate of HIV infections due to sexual activities was on the rise, affecting more of the younger generation between the ages of 18 and 35 in Malaysia due to poor awareness of reproductive health.

“We don’t equip young Malaysians with the proper information and tools to protect themselves not just from HIV, but also from other sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. When you marginalise a population, it drives them further underground and makes it even harder for them to access healthcare, information to protection and also treatment. It aggravates the situation even more, ” he told The Star.

HIV infections caused by blood transfusion, organ transplant or needle accidents made up only 3% of cases while mother-to-child transmission was successfully eliminated with zero cases reported in 2018. The ministry released the information ahead of World AIDS Day on Dec 1