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KUALA LUMPUR - MORE Malaysian women are being infected with HIV, with most of them contracting the virus from their husbands or boyfriends.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie said although the total number of HIV cases in the country had declined over the past five years, the number of women and young girls infected had risen from 4 per cent in 1995 to 18 per cent by the end of last year.
'Most were housewives. In Asia, 25 per cent to 40 per cent of newly infected women and girls contracted the disease from their husbands or boyfriends.
'The data we have in Malaysia shows that this is already happening in Kelantan, Sabah, Sarawak, Kedah and Johor,' she said at the launch of the State of the Malaysia HIV and Aids Epidemic 2010 conference here yesterday. Her speech was read out by National Population and Family and Community Development director-general Datuk Aminah Abdul Rahman.
Quoting the 2008 report by the Commission on Aids in Asia, Ms Heng also expressed concern that men who were infected through drug use and unprotected sexual intercourse with sex workers would infect more women in the future.
'It is no longer just people who inject drugs and sell sex who are at risk of HIV infection. Ignorance and apathy put us all at risk,' she said. -- THE STAR/ANN
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie said although the total number of HIV cases in the country had declined over the past five years, the number of women and young girls infected had risen from 4 per cent in 1995 to 18 per cent by the end of last year.
'Most were housewives. In Asia, 25 per cent to 40 per cent of newly infected women and girls contracted the disease from their husbands or boyfriends.
'The data we have in Malaysia shows that this is already happening in Kelantan, Sabah, Sarawak, Kedah and Johor,' she said at the launch of the State of the Malaysia HIV and Aids Epidemic 2010 conference here yesterday. Her speech was read out by National Population and Family and Community Development director-general Datuk Aminah Abdul Rahman.
Quoting the 2008 report by the Commission on Aids in Asia, Ms Heng also expressed concern that men who were infected through drug use and unprotected sexual intercourse with sex workers would infect more women in the future.
'It is no longer just people who inject drugs and sell sex who are at risk of HIV infection. Ignorance and apathy put us all at risk,' she said. -- THE STAR/ANN
