"More housewives get HIV than sex workers"

With an average of 12 Malaysians testing positive for HIV each day, Malaysia has one of the fastest growing AIDS epidemics in the East Asia and Pacific region. What is more worrying is that the trend is gaining a feminine face, mainly through heterosexual transmission. A new report releases by the Health Ministry and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) yesterday revealed that the trend of new HIV infections amongst women rose drastically to 16% in 2007 from 1.2% of total new cases in 1990.

Surveys showed that in 2006 more housewives tested HIV-positive than sex workers. Besides that, there are thousands of children living in homes shadowed by HIV. The results are a cause for concern as the vulnerability of women and children to HIV are directly linked. Families who are affected by HIV and AIDS, the disease itself does not have so much impact as it can be kept under control for many years with effective treatment. The biggest impact comes from stigma. Mothers whose families are affected by HIV and AIDS are most frightened by the reactions from friends, extended family, colleagues and their communities. Stigma can cause a person to be ostracised by friends and family. It can even cause a HIV-positive husband to disallow his wife to be tested. Besides, stigma can cause a woman to ashamed that she does not seek treatment and meaning an early death and young innocent child left without a mother.

by karen Arukesamy
newsdesk@thesundaily.com