Government hopes to reduce HIV/AIDS cases by 20%

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: The Government hopes to see a 20% reduction in HIV/AIDS cases by 2008 as a direct result of comprehensive preventive efforts.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said although 16 to 18 new cases were reported daily, there would be a reduction with a “change in behaviour.”
”If what should not happen still happens, the result from our efforts will be limited,” Chua said after attending the national-level World AIDS Day celebration at the Health Management Institute here yesterday.
His confidence of reducing the cases stemmed from the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan which focused on treatment, harm reduction and the training of paramedics.
“The Cabinet has allocated an extra RM100mil over five years on top of the RM40mil yearly allocation,” he said.
Dr Chua said 100 paramedics were also being trained at a cost of RM600,000 to counsel and administer anti-retro viral drugs to patients.
“The drugs are not like normal medicine and the personnel are trained to understand the intricacies involved in treating HIV/AIDS,” he said.
Dr Chua added that the target was to treat up to 10,000 patients by 2010, and to prolong the lives of at least 80% of them.
He said that with the expansion of the ministry's needle/ syringe exchange programme and methadone replacement therapy to include all states in the country, more people would receive help.
“We hope to involve 15,000 drug users in methadone replacement therapy and 15,000 to 25,000 intravenous drug users in the needle/ syringe exchange programme by 2010,” he added.