Cambodian president Hun Sen has raised concern over the growing number of new cases of HIV in the country.
As reported by the Phnom Penh Post the President raised his concern during a speech to factory workers earlier this week. Over 20,000 workers gathered in a stadium to hear the President speak.
Hun Sen shared that there had been 300 more cases of HIV in 2022 than the previous year, and the new cases were mainly among men who have sex with men. In 2022 there were 1,400 new cases.
“There is an alarming rise among MSM, while we are less concerned about heterosexuals,” he said.
The President said while same-sex marriage was not allowed in the country, discrimination against same-sex couples would not be accepted.
“We allow LGBT people to love each other, but we are not creating a law for same-sex marriage. We do not prohibit nor punish members of the LGBT community,” he said.
“Please do not forget that Cambodia has not yet eliminated HIV. Condom use is the most effective means of preventing the transmission of HIV, so I urge all members of the public to use them whenever necessary,” he said.
President Hun Sen spoke about the importance of using condoms and called for businesses to stamp out discrimination.
A 2019 report from UN AIDS had previously highlighted how the country was having success in reducing the number of cases of HIV. The country is aiming to achieve 95-95-95 targets by 2025.
The goal is to have 95% of those carrying the virus aware of their status, 95 % of people on treatment, and 95% with an undetectable viral load. To achieve the goal the level of new infections needs to be reduced to less than 300 per year.
President Hun Sen lost his Facebook account this week when the company ordered his profile be suspended for six months over threats to political opponents. The president’s account was followed by 14 million people.
OIP Staff
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