KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Approximately 222 HIV infections were detected among students of higher learning institutions (IPT) last year, including those as young as 18 and 19, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.
He said that overall, 1,091 HIV infections were detected among IPT students between 2020 and 2024.
“This indicates that risky activities have already taken place earlier, and the harm reduction approach that we are implementing now is through the use of PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) as a preventive tool against HIV.
“PrEP has been rolled out in several facilities, and its implementation has shown success,” he said during a press conference after launching the 2025 Media Roundtable Conference on Harm Reduction today.
However, Lukanisman acknowledged that underage teenagers face limitations in accessing HIV self-testing and follow-up treatment, as there is no legal provision that permits them to undergo screening without parental consent.
“There is no specific legislation apart from the requirement for parental permission for testing and treatment, which poses a challenge for those who wish to come forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry’s Disease Control Division's HIV/STI/HeP Sector C head Dr Fazidah Yuswan said that as of 2024, 36 per cent or 29,941 out of 83,937 individuals with HIV remain undetected.
“We are stepping up community-based screening efforts to detect more people living with HIV.
"For those hesitant to seek testing at health facilities, self-test kits are available through non-governmental organisations and the Malaysian AIDS Council,” she said.
— Bernama
