More than 70,000 down with HIV/AIDS last year

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: More than 70,000 Malaysians were HIV-positive as of last year, and more than 8,000 have died of AIDS.
What is more worrying is that ignorance and prejudice are continuing to fuel the spread of AIDS, says the Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF).
"People with HIV/AIDS are not just drug addicts and prostitutes. Housewives, children and mothers have the virus as well. We must get rid of the stigma associated with AIDS," said MAF trustee Datuk Mohd Zaman Khan.
He added the public should sympathise with HIV/AIDS sufferers and accept them into the community instead of avoiding them.
Mohd Zaman was speaking to newsmen at a cheque presentation ceremony for the Hope Campaign yesterday.
The campaign, with the slogan "Think not of charity, but of giving hope", was held by the Renaissance Group of Hotels from September to December last year. It raised RM45,000, which was presented to MAF yesterday.
Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel general manager Robert Frager said besides collecting donations, the hotel also sold MAF merchandise to raise funds for the campaign.
"This is the second year we are supporting the MAF. We wanted to create awareness and spread the message to hotel guests and their associates to spare a thought for HIV/AIDS sufferers," he said.
Also present at the cheque presentation were MAF general manager Raj Kumar Balamanickam, Renaissance Kota Baru Hotel general manager Philip Chee, Renaissance Malacca Hotel general manager George Varughese and Miri Marriott Resort & Spa general manager Stefan Gruber.
Each year MAF dedicates an average of RM1.4 million to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, to support people living with HIV/AIDS in Malaysia and to create an environment free of stigma and discrimination.
The funds raised by the MAF are used to help meet nutritional, treatment and schooling needs of children with HIV/AIDS, providing anti-HIV drugs and medical tests, providing interest-free loans for sufferers, providing grants to facilitate HIV/AIDS programmes, advocacy as well as care and support.