Cambodia Succeeds with HIV/AIDS Epidemic Control


Cambodia has succeeded with HIV/AIDS epidemic control – thanks to the country’s strong leadership, evidence-based services and community engagement.

The good news was highlighted by H.E. Ieng Mouly, Cambodian Senior Minister and Chair of National AIDS Authority in the Virtual Regional Meeting for Asia and the Pacific recently.

Consequently, new HIV infections declined by 62 percent and AIDS-related deaths dropped by 54 percent between 2010 and 2019, he said adding that the multi-sectoral HIV response model served as a platform for the effective COVID-19 response.

Over the past years, the National AIDS Authority in partnership with UNAIDS and UNDP has worked with the Ministry of Planning to include 2,910 households of people living with HIV/AIDS in the poor household identification process used to identify beneficiaries for social protection schemes.

In the context of COVID-19 response, the government spent about US$20 million per month as the emergency cash transfer to help the poor, and those living with HIV/AIDS have also benefitted from this.