KUALA LUMPUR: People living with HIV (PLHIV) should not be sidelined during the Covid-19 pandemic, instead, they should be encouraged and given priority for the immunisation programme.
Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) president Datuk Dr Christopher Lee said although vaccines and treatment for the Covid-19 pandemic continued to be given priority, treatment for other diseases should not be sidelined.
“Investment and efforts in HIV prevention and treatment must continue to save lives from unnecessary deaths, including those related to HIV/AIDS,“ he said in a statement today ahead of the 2021 International AIDS Memorial Day on May 16.
International AIDS Memorial Day is celebrated yearly around the world on the third Sunday in May and the theme in Malaysia this year is “Always in Our Hearts”, which was specifically created by the MAC and Malaysian AIDS Foundation.
According to Dr Lee, a total of 44,829 AIDS-related deaths were reported in the country from 1986 to 2019, and so far there are 77,903 PLHIV in Malaysia.
“Despite advances in HIV treatment, only 57 percent of PLHIV are undergoing treatment. In Malaysia’s efforts to achieve zero HIV-related deaths, it is necessary to ensure that more PLHIV are treated.
“AIDS-related deaths and complications can be prevented if PLHIV start treatment as soon as possible,“ added Dr Lee. — Bernama
