The meeting on the Fast Track Cities Initiatives project (FTCI) to implement the accelerated HIV/AIDS response on Thursday, March 30, 2023
H.E. Senior Minister Ieng Mouly presided over the meeting on the Fast Track Cities Initiatives project (FTCI) to implement the accelerated HIV/AIDS response on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at the Regency Hotel in Siem Reap.
Official of the National AIDS Authority, Deputy Governors of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, and Representative of Battambang’s Governor, Ms. Patricia Ongpin, UNAIDS Country Director for Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Malaysia, Representatives from Ministry of Economy and Finance, Provincial Government Officials, Representatives of Civil Society Organizations, Representatives of People Living with HIV, and Representatives of Key Population Groups were in attendance.
H.E. Senior Minister reminisced about Cambodia's tremendous success and her unwavering commitment in ending AIDS, as a public health threat, by 2025. Cambodia's success in ending AIDS by 2025 is through reducing the number of new HIV infections to less than 300 cases per year (less than one new case per day). The significant questions to ask and answer are about how to achieve success and how to achieve it before 2030.
There are 3 main points that must be paid attention to:
1. Closing the gap and attaining the first 95% target:
- Although there is significant progress in reducing new infections in women, the gap in finding HIV cases remains a problem
- The first 95% target has only been reached at 86%, where data shows that the rate is increasing for men, mostly in the target population groups, including the MSM
- Nearly all new infections are among the youth aged 15-24, where improving on detection, prevention, reorganizing intervention along with strategic prevention, and focusing on the youth target group, almost half are unaware of their HIV status, will bend the curve and close the 95% target gap
2. Maintain equitable access to treatment:
- Recent data shows that Cambodia is doing well in care and treatment with a 99% rate on the 2nd 95% target and a 98% rate on the 3rd 95% target. However, children are at risk of receiving unequal access to treatment when compared to adults. For example, only 59% of children receive antiretroviral therapy, compared to 99% of adults. In addition, a small number of HIV-positive children received antiretroviral therapy and dolutegravir on the same day
3. Maintain sustainability, ownership, and strengthen the country system:
- An area to prioritize is the sustainability and ownership of the government. The target for 2030 domestic funding is 50%, but has yet to be met. In addition, through community consultations, there is room for growth in terms of community involvement and leadership in the HIV response.
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