Success in Fight Against AIDS Achieved Thanks to Royal Government, Civil Society, and Development Partners Working Closely, Adopting “People-Focused Approaches”
(Siem Reap): Speaking at the opening of a meeting held by the Executive Directors of the International Alliance against AIDS at Angkor Century Hotel on the morning of 18 March 2019, His Excellency Senior Minister Ieng Mouly, Chair of the National AIDS Authority, underscored that the success in the response to HIV over more than last two decades, leading Cambodia towards reaching the 90-90-90 targets in 2017, was achieved thanks to the strong support provided by Prime Minister of Cambodia Samdech Decho Hun Sen. In the past, the Royal Government, civil society, and development partners had worked closely, adopting the “People-Focused Approaches.”
He added that the first HIV case in Cambodia was reported in 1991, and in 1995, there were up to more than 23,000 transmission cases. The Royal Government worked closely with civil society and development partners in instituting evidence-based programs that reduced the number of new transmissions to less than 1,000 per year in 2018. According to an estimate, there were 67,000 people living with HIV in Cambodia, including 86 percent of them aware of their AIDS status, 98 percent receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 80 percent treatment recipients having the lowest viral load.
For almost past three decades, KHANA has become the largest nongovernmental organization providing community-level HIV/AIDS prevention and care services as well as support for reproductive health, family planning, maternal and child health, tuberculosis program, and livelihood building.
Moreover, H.E. Senior Minister underlined that the AIDS epidemic is not yet over, but still evolving. Therefore, we are currently preparing roadmap to respond sustainably to HIV and AIDS. Of late, the Royal Government launched six measures pertaining to HIV/AIDS response in cooperation with relevant ministries and institutions, with the Royal Government assigning the Supreme National Economic Council to conduct a study the budget space with a view to implementing the Royal Government’s commitment to end AIDS transmission by 2025. As for the relevant ministries, they, too, should acknowledge the key role of civil society in responding to HIV and AIDS and support its continued engagement by means of providing it with funding from the Royal Government, according to national budget possibility.
As for KHANA Executive Director Chuop Sok Chamroen, he said the meeting, taking place in Siem Reap, the sacred territory of the deity, is fully supported by Senior Minister Ieng Mouly and technically assisted by Frontline AIDS Executive Director Ms. Christine Stegling. This is a special meeting held, in coincidence with the 25th anniversary of the partnership with the International Alliance against AIDS, to respond globally to HIV and AIDS. Besides, for Cambodian, it is also the 25th anniversary of response to HIV and AIDS, using multisectoral approaches.
He added that KHANA, a project of the International AIDS Alliance in Cambodia, was established in 1996. Nowadays, KHANA undertook its works in Phnom Penh and 14 provinces, providing services to over 35,000 key population infected with HIV and tuberculosis.
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