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UN PhotoUNAIDS / CAMBODIA HIV INFECTIONS
STORY: UNAIDS / CAMBODIA HIV INFECTIONS
TRT: 04:18
SOURCE: UNAIDS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: MAY 2025, PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
1. Aerial shot, city view
2. Various shots, Chhum Vy, an outreach worker for Men’s Health Cambodia (MHC) walking to a
group session on HIV prevention
3. Various shots, Vy entering room
4. Wide shot, Vy with educational materials, condoms, pills, lubricant, and HIV self-test kits
5. SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Chhum Vy, Outreach Worker, Men’s Health, Cambodia:
“In Cambodia today even though we continue to educate and raise awareness through partner organizations, community outreach and education, nighttime and daytime testing, and on social media, the HIV rate is still high, especially among LGBT people.”
6. Close up, educational materials and pills
7. Wide shot, Vy explaining PrEP
8. SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Chhum Vy, Outreach Worker, Men’s Health, Cambodia:
“We don't know who is living with HIV and who isn't so we must take PrEP and use condoms constantly to prevent becoming infected or infecting those we love and others. This is critically important.”
9. Wide shot, Vy explaining PrEP
10. Med shot, Pom Rotha listening
11. SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Pom Rotha, Client, Men’s Health, Cambodia:
“I have remained HIV- negative up until now, because the organization (MHC) has been providing information on how to use the pills (PrEP) to protect ourselves and to use condoms regularly. I have chosen to use PrEP and continue to use it until now.”
12. Wide shot, Vy explaining
13. Close up, ARV pillbox
14. Med shot, participant weighing in
15. Close up, Vy holding condoms
16. Wide shot, Ron Sopheab speaking
17. SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Ron Sopheab, Client, Men’s Health, Cambodia:
“If, at that time, there had been prevention services, blood testing services, access to condoms, and PrEP then I wouldn’t have contracted HIV so, I respectfully appeal to the government and all relevant organizations to help those places that have not been reached yet.”
18. Wide shot, exterior, National Centre for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STD clinic
(NCHADS)
19. Wide shot, clinic sign with red ribbon
20. Wide shot, entrance to the clinic
21. Wide shot, waiting room
22. Wide shot, poster in waiting room promoting prevention methods to avoid Sexually Transmitted
Diseases (STDs)
23. Med shot, patient with NCHADS Deputy Manager, Dr Nhem Chantha
20. Med shot, Dr Chantha writing a prescription
21. SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Dr Nhem Chantha, Deputy Manager, NCHADS:
“Sometimes, people who don’t have a regular partner may be at risk of contracting HIV if they engage in entertainment or casual sex. So, if we offer them PrEP services it’s a great opportunity to help them protect themselves from HIV infection. That makes them very happy.”
22. Med shot, patient at the clinic’s pharmacy
22. Various shots, pharmacist distributing HIV antiretroviral therapy in pillboxes
23. SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Sovann Reatrey, Community Counsellor, NCHADS:
“Clients include men who have sex with men, and they mostly come to the weekend clinic because they feel more comfortable. No one sees them. Likewise, female entertainment workers They also have time to come on the weekends and avoid the crowds and come regularly. First and foremost, we don't discriminate against them. When they come, we chat with them just like we do with you. You form a bond with them, and they feel like we don’t discriminate so they continue coming to receive services.”
24. Various shots, Exterior UNAIDS office
Although new infections in Cambodia are declining among most groups, they are increasing among gay men and other men who have sex with men and transgender women.
The HIV pandemic still claims one life every minute. While much progress has been made, there were 1.3 million new HIV infections and 630,000 AIDS-related deaths last year.
HIV is a treatable and preventable disease, and several countries are progressing toward ending AIDS as a public health threat, including Cambodia. But while this Southeast Asian nation treats almost every person diagnosed with HIV, prevention remains a challenge.
Chhum Vy, an outreach worker for Men’s Health Cambodia (MHC), lives in Steung Meanchey, a low-income neighbourhood in southern Phnom Penh. MHC provides clients with pre-exposure prophylaxis, a preventive medicine known as PrEP, to help them avoid HIV infection if they are exposed.
Young gay men are using the internet to find sexual partners either on hookup sites or social media and often lack the information or support they need. Reason more for online and in-person outreach sessions as well as HIV testing led by NGOs like Men’s Health. Chhum Vy also shows off a range of HIV prevention options like correct condom and lubricant use.
SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Chhum Vy, Outreach Worker, Men’s Health, Cambodia:
“In Cambodia today even though we continue to educate and raise awareness through partner organizations, community outreach and education, nighttime and daytime testing, and on social media, the HIV rate is still high, especially among LGBT people.”
“We don't know who is living with HIV and who isn't so we must take PrEP and use condoms constantly to prevent becoming infected or infecting those we love and others. This is critically important.”
Pom Rotha is a transgender person who is HIV. She is a sex worker and cannot always enforce condom use.
SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Pom Rotha, Client, Men’s Health, Cambodia:
“I have remained HIV- negative up until now, because the organization (MHC) has been providing information on how to use the pills (PrEP) to protect ourselves and to use condoms regularly. I have chosen to use PrEP and continue to use it until now.”
Since 2010 new infections have doubled (115 percent) among MSM and almost tripled (190 percent)
for transgender women. HIV prevalence among the general population in Cambodia is 0.6 percent vs. 13.5 percent among transgender women and 5.5 percent among men who have sex with men.
Ron Sopheab lives with HIV and takes medicine daily, which keeps him healthy, and he does not spread HIV to sexual partners.
SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Ron Sopheab, Client, Men’s Health, Cambodia:
“If, at that time, there had been prevention services, blood testing services, access to condoms, and PrEP then I wouldn’t have contracted HIV so, I respectfully appeal to the government and all relevant organizations to help those places that have not been reached yet.”
If a person tests positive for HIV, she counsels them and refers them to a treatment site such as the National Centre for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STD clinic (NCHADS). There they get HIV treatment along with sexually transmitted infection (STI), non-communicable disease (NCD) and mental health services.
SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Dr Nhem Chantha, Deputy Manager, NCHADS:
“Sometimes, people who don’t have a regular partner may be at risk of contracting HIV if they engage in entertainment or casual sex. So, if we offer them PrEP services it’s a great opportunity to help them protect themselves from HIV infection. That makes them very happy.”
NCHADS has introduced several approaches to welcome people who usually shy away from clinics like community counsellors and weekend opening hours. They recently introduced long-acting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) - which means one injection every two months vs daily pills.
SOUNDBITE (Khmer) Sovann Reatrey, Community Counsellor, NCHADS:
“Clients include men who have sex with men, and they mostly come to the weekend clinic because they feel more comfortable. No one sees them. Likewise, female entertainment workers They also have time to come on the weekends and avoid the crowds and come regularly. First and foremost, we don't discriminate against them. When they come, we chat with them just like we do with you. You form a bond with them, and they feel like we don’t discriminate so they continue coming to receive services.”
UNAIDS’ new report, “AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform,” documents the impact funding cuts are having around the world. UNAIDS estimates that if the world does not act, there could be an additional 6 million new HIV infections and 4 million AIDS-related deaths by 2029. The report also highlights what some countries have done to fill the gaps and how to navigate the future.
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