HIV in Myanmar
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, weakening its ability to fight infection and disease.
Since 2010, Myanmar has achieved significant progress in controlling its HIV epidemic. The number of annual new HIV infections has decreased from around 17,000 in 2010 to around 11,000 in 2023.
There are an estimated 280,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Myanmar, about one in every 200 people. Thanks to the expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART), around three quarters of PLHIV are receiving treatment. However, significant challenges remain.
Among key populations in Myanmar, such as people who inject drugs, female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and transgender people, HIV prevalence is significantly higher.
For example, the national prevalence of HIV among men who have sex with men is just under 9% (2019), nearly 18 times the prevalence in the general population. In Yangon, Myanmar’s commercial capital, HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men rises to nearly one in three.
Reaching PLHIV, especially in key populations, who are unaware of their status is crucial to epidemic control. However, criminalization of homosexuality, sex work and drug use, and the stigma and discrimination experienced by key populations, makes this difficult.
Furthermore, escalating war, displacement and poverty are making it harder for people across Myanmar to access health services.
Health is a human right, and every person should have access to the health care they need, including HIV prevention, treatment, and care.
To end AIDS, we must protect this right to health and make health care available to everyone without discrimination.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is medication that HIV-negative people take to protect themselves from HIV infection. PrEP is an effective way to prevent HIV among populations who may have a higher risk of infection, such as key populations.
In 2020, Community Partners International supported the development of the first PrEP services offered in Myanmar. Since then, more clinics have started to offer these services.
In our short video below, we profile a clinic operated by CPI partner, Medical Action Myanmar, in Yangon, that provides PrEP services to HIV- negative men who have sex with men and transgender women.
Since 2020, the clinic has helped more than 2,000 clients and 99% have remained HIV negative while taking PrEP.
The clinic also operates a network of community facilitators who meet with key populations in places they frequent to raise awareness of HIV and prevention, and encourage them to visit the clinic for HIV testing and health care.
Your gift can help people at higher risk of HIV learn about infection risks and access prevention, including condoms and PrEP services.
Your gift can help people at higher risk of HIV access regular testing and counselling to support HIV prevention and early diagnosis.
Your gift can help people living with HIV access antiretroviral therapy (ART) to suppress the virus, counseling and support to reduce the risk of transmission to intimate partners, and ongoing health care and monitoring to prevent and treat co-infections
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