Posts
The number of Malaysian students who
contracted HIV in 2012 more than doubled from 69 in 2011 to 170, while overall
HIV rates remained stable, according to health officials. Malaysia AIDS Council
Executive Director Roswati Ghani said the council was deeply concerned by the
increasing number of new HIV infections among students. “What’s also alarming
is the proportion of new HIV cases reported in the younger age group of 13–29
years, to the overall population (1 to 4 in 2012),” she said.
The rate of students testing
positive for HIV had been increasing since 2008, but 2012 saw the rate of
infections surge by 148 percent. The Ministry of Health Malaysia did not
release specific ages of the students diagnosed with HIV but it is believed the
majority were university students. “We are also cognizant of this situation;
and that the HIV epidemic in this country continues to be driven by sexual
transmission since beginning 2010,” Ghani said.
Ghani encouraged colleges to provide
accurate HIV information to all students. “They should formalize HIV education
in the curriculum and provide counseling services that are evidence-based
while, at the same time, respecting the students’ sensitivities and rights,”
she said. She added that students should get tested on a regular basis and know
their HIV status.
