Strategies To Fight AIDS

According to the National Strategic Plan there are six new ways to fight HIV/AIDS in the next five years. Dr Chua Soi Lek the health minister of Malaysia said that the plan, which was approved by the Cabinet on April 12, would be enforced under the 9th Malaysia Plan.
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"One of the strategies is to strengthen aspects of leadership, commitment and collaboration in fighting AIDS at international, national, state and district level. Second is increasing technical capabilities and human and financial resources, and third to reduce the risks of HIV spreading among drug addicts and their sex partners".

He said there was a necessity to reduce the vulnerability of women, teenagers and children to HIV virus, and also of those secluded by the society such as sex workers, transsexuals and homosexuals.

Greater accessibility of information on HIV/AIDS, as well as services on prevention, cure, care and support to those infected, is the need of the hour. The Cabinet wants to include courses on HIV/AIDS in the National Service curriculum, the health minister added.

Until March 31, there were 71,676 HIV infections, of whom 10,959 were victims of AIDS and 8,334 had died from it.