PHNOM PENH – New HIV infections have decreased from 1,300 cases in 2022 to 1,200 cases in 2023, while infection from mothers to babies fell from 11 to 8 percent. 

The National Aids Authority gave the figures on July 9 at a meeting with the Ministry of Health, and UNAIDS of Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia based in Phnom Penh.

The meeting was to share projections for HIV at national level this year. 

Plans to end HIV are divided into three stages: stopping the virus from infecting people, providing services to people living with HIV, and treating all people who are aware of their status and getting services regularly to suppress viral loads.

The UNAIDS 95–95–95 targets mean that 95% of those with HIV know their HIV status, 95% of people who know their status are on antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of people on antiretroviral therapy have suppressed viral loads.

Cambodia has come closer to the first target, with the number of people who are aware of their HIV status rising from 86 percent in 2022 to 89 percent in 2023. The country has achieved 89-98-98 compared to the goal.  

This shows a positive improvement of the country's actions to combat new infections, to provide treatments for people living with HIV who are aware of their status, and to reach out to the people who are not aware of their status for test and treatment. 

“Regardless, Cambodia is still far away from achieving the goal of controlling the new cases to only 200 per year by 2025, as there are a few challenges,” NAA said. 

These include the infection among key populations, such as men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender people, entertainment workers, and people who use or inject drugs. 

Another challenge is that almost half of new infections are among teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 24, a group who know less about HIV. 

Patricia Ongpin, country director of UNAIDS in Cambodia, said progress to the first goal of 95 percent is difficult but Cambodia will definitely do it through the efforts to provide integrated HIV prevention services at all levels and across sectors. 

At a workshop to end HIV-related stigma and discrimination last month, data specialist Ye Yu Shwe said, “Cambodia has been doing really well in preventing and protection against new HIV infections. However, the country is still far from achieving the first goal of 95-95-95 targets.” 

He said Cambodia might not be able to achieve it by 2025 but with more effort and the current progress, the country will be able to reach the goal soon. 

Addressing barriers that stigmatize and discriminate against people living with or affected by HIV is also an important means to help the country achieve the goal. 

Experts said stigma and discrimination remain factors that prevent most people from being tested, which does not allow them to be aware of their HIV status. 

All stakeholders at national and regional levels are urged to promote and raise awareness of the elimination of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV. 

Media and journalists also play an important role in integrating knowledge and information about HIV and prevention into their reporting to normalize conversations and keep the public updated with positive progress of HIV and to keep the public, especially key population, warned about the prevention and protection of HIV. 

During the 54th Meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board in June, National Aids Authority president Ieng Moly said the government launched the National Policy for Ending AIDS and the Sustainability of HIV Program for 2023-2028 in March to pave the way for social protection programs to be modified to attract key populations for testing and access to health care.

The policy calls for the search for nearly 10,000 suspected HIV-positive people so that they can be tested and receive treatment. The policy also encourages MSM to seek testing and receive health and social protection benefits. 

The country is expanding testing services through HIV self-testing and Tele pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), Peer Driven Intervention (PDI+), Community-led HIV Testing and Mobile Van. Oral PrEP program had been rolled out in 15 provinces across 28 health facilities and 13 Community-led PrEP. 

The measures also include the use of condoms and clean syringes for those who inject drugs.