SHAMING and blaming lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT) is counterproductive to the authorities’ effort to end the AIDS epidemic in the country.

The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) said homophobia, transphobia, and LBGT fear-mongering are hampering efforts to end AIDS by 2030 – a national target.

“There is enough evidence to prove that in settings where LGBT people are targeted, discriminated against, and persecuted, the AIDS epidemic thrives,” said MAC in a statement today.

The council was referring to media reports blaming LGBT for new HIV infections last week, which it fears would undermine existing efforts to reach out to the group.

More than 1,400 gays, transgenders and female sex workers received HIV-related services in eight public healthcare facilities in Kuala Lumpur between January and August this year alone.

“We are particularly heartened by this encouraging development. Key populations once driven underground due to fear, stigma and discrimination have begun to come forward to access life-saving HIV healthcare services,” MAC said.

It attributed this positive development to the introduction of community-friendly measures and other stigma-reduction efforts.

“If we are serious about ending AIDS by 2030, we must not allow homophobia, transphobia, and anti-LBGT sentiments to pervade HIV and AIDS discourse in our society.”

MAC has met officials from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) and state religious authorities to ensure their HIV and Islam programmes are aligned with the Health Ministry’s.

“Meeting the ending AIDS targets – 95% of people living with HIV know their HIV status, 95% of people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment, 95% of people on antiretroviral treatment achieve viral suppression – is a shared responsibility. 

“It begins by treating key populations as equals in the AIDS response and ensuring that they are not left behind,” said the council.

Last year, 84% of the reported 3,397 new HIV infections were sexually transmitted, out of which 1,553 were due to homo or bisexual transmissions and 1,311 were due to heterosexual transmissions.

Sexual transmission superseded unsafe drug-injecting practices and other modes of transmission as the primary cause of new HIV infections in 2010. 

MAC said Malaysia has successfully reduced new HIV infections among drug users in the past decade via a harm-reduction strategy.

“The harm reduction success story provides further evidence that when structural barriers to equitable HIV health are broken down and stigmatising beliefs, attitudes, and practices are challenged, progress prevails. 

“The same approach needs to be applied to the strategy addressing the current HIV sexual health crisis,” it said. – October 16, 2017.