HIV/AIDS Impact Declines in Cambodia as New Infections Drop

Phnom penh: HIV/AIDS killed about 1,000 people in Cambodia in 2024, down nine percent from 1,100 a year earlier, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said. According to Nam News Network, in a message released to the media, Hun Manet reported that the country recorded roughly 1,200 new HIV infections in 2024, marking a decrease of 20 percent from 1,500 in 2023. The prime minister highlighted that the kingdom currently has approximately 76,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, of which 71,716 have received antiretroviral drugs. Despite this progress, more than 4,000 people remain unaware of their HIV status and have not yet received antiretroviral drugs. Hun Manet emphasized this issue in his message, which was issued in anticipation of World AIDS Day on December 1. The prime minister reiterated Cambodia's commitment to reducing new HIV infections to just over 200 cases and fatalities to fewer than 200 cases per year. Cambodia is striving to achieve the 95-95-95 HIV treatment targets by the end of the year, accor ding to the National AIDS Authority. These targets aim for 95 percent of people living with HIV to know their status, 95 percent of those aware of their status to be on antiretroviral treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression.