Latest news with #ZaitonYahaya
Free Malaysia Today
29-04-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
HIV cases reported among teens as young as 13 from sexual activity
The number of HIV cases from drug use has been decreasing due to frequent awareness campaigns on the dangers of sharing needles. PETALING JAYA : Cases of HIV transmitted by sexual activity have been reported among teenagers as young as 13 years, with case numbers also increasing among university students. According to Malaysian AIDS Council and Malaysian AIDS Foundation honorary secretary Dr Zaiton Yahaya, those aged 20 to 29 years make up the majority of 44% of all HIV sufferers. 'For students aged 13 to 19, 4% of them were confirmed to have HIV, mostly from sexual activity. 'The largest groups are school leavers and university students, who do not know the risk of infection. 'The number of HIV cases from drug use has been decreasing as we frequently run awareness campaigns on the dangers of sharing needles,' Berita Harian quoted her as saying. Based on the health ministry's most recent statistics, 135,035 HIV patients were recorded from 1986 to 2023, with 54,365 infections being sexually transmitted. Eight of the newest HIV cases were under 13 years old. Records also showed that 62% of HIV infections were among homosexuals and bisexuals, while 33% of them were from heterosexual relationships.
The Star
29-04-2025
- Health
- The Star
Mulling a more holistic approach to curb HIV rise among youth
PETALING JAYA: The increase in HIV infections among university and school students indicates that the current approaches to education and prevention may be insufficient, says a labour and youth activist. Mohammad Rizan Hassan, who is also the National Association of Skilled Workers secretary-general, called for a more holistic, inclusive and evidence-based approach to protect the younger generation from the threat of HIV. 'There has been a shift in the pattern of HIV infections in Malaysia, where transmission through sexual contact now outweighs transmission through needle sharing. 'This suggests that prevention approaches need to be adapted to current realities. 'This is why we need to implement a more comprehensive sexual education programme together with the Education Ministry that is culturally appropriate to equip adolescents with accurate knowledge about reproductive health and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. 'We can also carry awareness and early screening programmes by expanding the KafeTEEN – the National Population and Family Development Board's initiative – so that it can reach more adolescents, especially in rural areas,' he said in an interview. He added that voluntary and confidential HIV screening should be encouraged among adolescents. The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) revealed recently that HIV infections among university and school students were on the rise, with most contracting the virus through sexual activity, unaware of the risks of infection. MAC honorary secretary Dr Zaiton Yahaya said those aged between 20 and 29 accounted for 44% of such cases, while 4% comprised school students aged 13 to 19. However, cases of HIV transmission through drug use are decreasing following awareness programmes on the dangers of sharing needles. Malaysian Public Health Physicians' Association president Prof Dr Jamalludin Ab Rahman stressed that for early prevention, the priority is to eliminate risky behaviours before they take root. He said prevention of HIV must begin as soon as possible with children being taught about what is right and wrong based on religious teachings, moral values and Asian cultural traditions. 'For primary prevention, we must identify and address risk factors early. Awareness efforts must highlight the dangers of casual sexual relationships,' he noted. 'We must promote abstinence, responsibility and safe behaviour among the youth. 'For secondary prevention, early detection is key. HIV screening programmes should be expanded, especially among young people, to identify infections and risky behaviour at the earliest stages. 'For tertiary prevention, those diagnosed with HIV must be treated with compassion and dignity. Support for treatment must be strengthened while ensuring prevention efforts remain a national priority,' he said.
Focus Malaysia
27-04-2025
- Health
- Focus Malaysia
Could ‘sugar ba*ying', low co*dom awareness cause spike in HIV rate among young Malaysians?
SUCH are two 'outside the box' reactions cited by netizens following revelations that HIV infections among university and school students are on the rise – while transmission through drug use is decreasing – with most contracting the virus through sexual activity. This came about after theMalaysian AIDS Council (MAC) and Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF) honorary secretary Dr Zaiton Yahaya said those aged between 20 and 29 accounted for 44% of individuals detected with HIV. 'The highest number of cases are among school leavers and university graduates who are largely unaware of the risks of infection,' she said after a Hari Raya Open House in Kuala Lumpur with the community and the launch of the ProtectNow Hub organised by MAC and MAF yesterday (April 27), 'Due to the increasing rate of sexually transmitted HIV infections, we have stepped up awareness initiatives to ensure patients know where to seek help and support.' Judging from the trend of the infection, the sugar ba*y phenomenon where Malaysian women working as 'sugar ba*ies' can earn up to RM12,000/month and enjoy luxury vacations, designer goods and financial stability can no longer be dispelled as a potential cause to a spike in the country's HIV rate. GEJALA SEKSUAL | Kes jangkitan HIV dalam kalangan penuntut universiti dan sekolah menunjukkan peningkatan dengan kebanyakan mereka menerima jangkitan akibat aktiviti seksual. Setiausaha Kehormat Majlis Aids Malaysia (MAC) dan Yayasan Aids Malaysia (MAF), Dr Zaiton Yahaya… — Buletin TV3 (@BuletinTV3) April 26, 2025 Editor's Note: According to a study shows that Malaysia ranks third among Asian countries with the highest number of sugar daddies at 32,500 – tied with fourth spot Japan – on the top 10 list. Both came behind India which boasts a staggering 338,000 sugar daddies with Indonesia coming in second with 60,250. Closely linked to this is indulgence in intercourse without co*dom and the perceived rise in gay relationship. One netizen blamed it on 'weak sex education' at school level with the knowledge mostly gained from self-learning (purportedly from online materials) or from lectures/courses at universities which 'is already too late as many started having se*ual relationship at teenager stage'. Another mooted the idea of schools/university/school inviting medical professionals from hospitals 'to open up booths for mandatory HIV/AIDS testing'. One commenter faulted lack of monitoring from parents/guardians who accord too much freedom to their young ones. At the end of the day, one netizen lamented that 'Islam has provided the solution which (our) secular-liberalist leaders refuse to follow'. – April 27, 2025
Daily Express
27-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Express
HIV cases among teens as young as 13 years
Published on: Sunday, April 27, 2025 Published on: Sun, Apr 27, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Based on the Health Ministry's most recent statistics, 135,035 HIV patients were recorded from 1986 to 2023, with 54,365 infections being sexually transmitted. PETALING JAYA: Cases of HIV transmitted by sexual activity have been reported among teenagers as young as 13 years, with case numbers also increasing among university students. According to Malaysian AIDS Council and Malaysian AIDS Foundation Honorary Secretary Dr Zaiton Yahaya, those aged 20 to 29 years make up the majority of 44pc of all HIV sufferers. 'For students aged 13 to 19, 4pc of them were confirmed to have HIV, mostly from sexual activity. 'The largest groups are school leavers and university students, who do not know the risk of infection. 'The number of HIV cases from drug use has been decreasing as we frequently run awareness campaigns on the dangers of sharing needles,' she said. Based on the Health Ministry's most recent statistics, 135,035 HIV patients were recorded from 1986 to 2023, with 54,365 infections being sexually transmitted. Eight of the newest HIV cases were under 13 years old. Records also showed that 62pc of HIV infections were among homosexuals and bisexuals, while 33pc of them were from heterosexual relationships. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
New Straits Times
26-04-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Malaysian AIDS Council: Increasing rate of HIV cases among students
KUALA LUMPUR: HIV infections among university and school students are on the rise, with most contracting the virus through sexual activity. Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) and Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF) honorary secretary Dr Zaiton Yahaya said those aged between 20 and 29 accounted for 44 per cent of individuals detected with HIV. "As for school students aged 13 to 19, four per cent were confirmed to have contracted HIV, with the majority infected through sexual activity. "The highest number of cases are among school leavers and university graduates, who are largely unaware of the risks of infection. However, cases of HIV transmission through drug use are decreasing, as we have consistently carried out awareness programmes on the dangers of sharing needles. "Due to the increasing rate of sexually transmitted HIV infections, we have stepped up awareness initiatives to ensure patients know where to seek help and support," she said after the Aidilfitri Open House with the community and the launch of the ProtectNow Hub organised by MAC and MAF here today. Zaiton said that due to the significant rise in cases among young people, various awareness programmes on HIV infections have been conducted in schools and universities. According to the latest statistics from the Health Ministry, a total of 135,035 HIV patients have been recorded from 1986 to 2023, with 54,365 cases resulting from sexual transmission. There have been eight new cases of HIV infection involving children under the age of 13. The latest records show that 62 per cent of HIV infections were among homosexual and bisexual individuals, while 33 per cent were among heterosexual partners. Meanwhile, MAC and MAF have launched the ProtectNow Hub, the first digital HIV prevention services platform in Malaysia. ProtectNow Hub was developed through collaboration between public health experts, community organisations, and young people. Since its introduction, the platform has received over 74,000 visits from individuals seeking easily accessible, safe, and community-oriented healthcare services. The platform provides immediate access to a variety of essential services such as PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), HIV self-testing, mental health support, and addiction recovery services. Zaiton said that with its inclusive digital approach, ProtectNow Hub aims to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health, free from stigma and misinformation. "We are facing a major shift in HIV infections, with an increasing number of new cases among young people and target communities. "ProtectNow represents a new, youth-centred, community-led, and digitally driven approach for the future," she said.
