Three More Melaka Health Clinics Offering HIV/AIDS Screening, Treatment

MELAKA, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- Three more health clinics in Melaka have been appointed as STI Friendly Clinics offering screening services and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS.

State Health, Human Resources and Unity Committee chairman Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem said the healthcare facilities are the Ayer Keroh, Masjid Tanah and Merlimau health clinics.

"Previously,  the state only had one STI Friendly Clinic, which is the Jalan Gereja Health Clinic. This initiative has now been expanded to three more clinics to extend the HIV/AIDS screening services so that infections can be diagnosed early and anti-retroviral therapy treatment can begin immediately.

"So far, the STI Friendly Clinic initiative has been implemented in four health clinics, and we propose to add one more clinic to enable the public to undergo screening or seek treatment closest to their homes, but we need to strengthen services at these four clinics first,” he told reporters here today.

He said this after officiating at the launch of the state-level World AIDS Day in conjunction with the Bukt Katil state assembly 'Wakil Rakyat Untuk Rakyat’ (WRUR) programme. It was also attended by state Health director Dr Ruzita Mustaffa.

Ngwe said the STI Friendly Clinic is one of the Ministry of Health's efforts, through the state Health Department, to realise its target of zero new HIV cases under the 'Melaka Getting to Zero HIV' initiative.

Meanwhile, Dr Ruzita said 97 new HIV cases were recorded in Melaka between Jan 1 and Nov 30 this year, with 35 per cent of the cases categorised as AIDS, believed to be due to those infected being late to undergo screening or seek treatment.

Dr Ruzita, who said that 118 new HIV cases were recorded in the state last year, believes that it is important to continue increasing awareness about HIV/AIDS among the public.

She added that half of the new HIV infections this year were among individuals aged between 13 and 29, and that 60 per cent of the cases stemmed from homosexual relationships.

-- BERNAMA