Higher Education Ministry Reveals Worrying Rise In HIV Cases Among Students Aged 18 To 25
The number of cases rose from 186 in 2021 to 244 last year.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases are rising among students aged 18 to 25 in public and private higher education institutions across the country since 2021, according to the Higher Education Ministry
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir told the Dewan Rakyat that 6.7% to 7.6% of the total number of new HIV cases identified from 2020 to 2023 involved students from public and private higher education institutions.
Zambry, citing figures from the Health Ministry, said that 214 HIV cases were recorded among tertiary students in 2020, followed by a slight reduction to 186 cases in 2021. However, the number increased to 221 cases in 2022 and 244 cases last year, reported the New Straits Times.
The ministry has planned and implemented various programmes involving advocacy, awareness, and prevention of HIV infections
According to the Higher Education Ministry, from 2022 until June this year, it held 77 advocacy, awareness, and prevention programmes on HIV, involving 22,905 public university students.
"We are always aware and concerned about the wellbeing of students, including issues involving health and disease infections," said Zambry in his written reply to a Parliamentary question, as reported by The Star.
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