October 3, 2007

Malaysia Set to Meet UN Goal, Says Prime Minister

Malaysia is set to achieve the United Nations “millennium goal” of halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and reducing infant and mother mortality by the end of the decade, according to the deputy prime minister.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that the expansion of harm-reduction programs in the country will help Malaysia achieve the UN goal.

“Taking into consideration our plans to expand the use of methadone, the needle-exchange program and antiretroviral treatment in prisons among drug users, it is projected that either by 2009 or 2010 we should be able to see positive results and meet the UN's targets,” he said.

However, the number of HIV infections from sexual intercourse and the number of women living with AIDS have both increased in recent years.