PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has released a statement on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia to announce Cambodia’s observance of World AIDS Day on Wednesday. This year’s World Aids Day will be held under the theme “End Inequalities. End AIDS. End Pandemics.”
The Prime Minister congratulates the Kingdom of Cambodia on the tremendous progress made in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, listing the following achievements:
1. Cambodia achieved its goal of 90-90-90 in 2017 – indicating 90% of people know their HIV status, 90% of diagnosed people are on antiretroviral therapy, and 90% of people receiving antiviral therapy are virally suppressed. Cambodia has also been recognized for having a coverage rate of 83% for HIV/AIDS care services – a rate higher than major countries such as China, India, Thailand and Vietnam.
2. Through a program to provide financial support to poor and vulnerable families during the COVID-19 pandemic, 1974 HIV-positive families received over $125,000 USD from June 2020 to July 2021.
3. Cambodia is frontrunner in the changing face of AIDS programs, being a country which has gone from relying solely on external assistance, to now having a more self-reliant, resilient and sustainable AIDS program.
4. Cambodia has started to strengthen the national system against HIV/AIDS, implementing conditions at all ministries, institutions, capitals, provinces, municipalities, districts, and communes to run HIV/AIDS committees that work closely with international development partners such as NGOs.
The Prime Minister further emphasized that Cambodia almost reached the global 95-95-95 target in 2020, despite going through the COVID-19 pandemic. He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Ministries, National and Sub-National Administrative institutions, and all other partners who have been actively involved in the national fight against HIV/AIDS, under the leadership of the Royal Government.
He urges all to continue working hard to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through activities such as helping find missing positive people, preventing the abandonment of people living with HIV and coordinating programs among key populations such as gay men and transgender people.
He added that all state institutions must work closely with operators as well as with communities of all key people to spread the message of sexual safety through the use of condoms, PrEP or PEP, and HIV self-testing.
In the spirit of achieving the 95-95-95 goal by 2025, the Prime Minister announced the main policy of the Royal Government is to focus on measures to end inequality, end AIDS, and end pandemics by expanding the coverage of medical services and support to people living with HIV, including the implementation of the six measures outlined in Letter 213 of the Office of the Council of Ministers, dated 21 February 2021. These measures include specific roles for each of the Ministries in doing their part to strengthen the national effort against HIV/AIDS.
The Prime Minister also called for international partners to continue supporting the national system through the provision of financial and technical assistance under the coordination of the National AIDS Authority.
World Aids Day is held every year on December 1 to raise awareness about the AIDS pandemic. The day offers an opportunity for people around the world to unite in the fight against HIV, show support to people living with HIV, and commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.
