Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is recording about 400 new HIV infections annually, the second highest in the country after Selangor, with the Ministry of Health and the Malaysian AIDS Foundation calling for action to expand treatment and prevention efforts across the State.
“Greater awareness and early testing is important to reverse the trend,” said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib at the Red Ribbon Kota Kinabalu High Tea 2026 at Hilton Kota Kinabalu, Sunday, coinciding with the International AIDS Memorial Day.
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“If they suspect they have been exposed, by all means go for screening. There are ways of preventing it from spreading. Please do not think it is already a long-term sentence,” she said, urging the public to seek help without fear of judgment or stigma.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was represented by Asst Minister Datuk Ceasar Mandela Malakun at the event.
Hanifah said her Ministry is committed to expanding treatment access across all government hospitals and health clinics nationwide, including in Sabah.
She said the Sabah Health Access Programme (SHAPE) run by the Malaysian AIDS Foundation, has been instrumental in bridging logistical gaps for patients in rural and remote areas.
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“When we empower patients to stay consistently on their treatment, we do so much more than just reduce hospital admissions and preventable complications. We are securing brighter, healthier futures for individuals while building a far more efficient and sustainable healthcare system for everyone,” she said.
She also spoke about the science of Undetectable equals Untransmittable, which shows that a person living with HIV who maintains an undetectable viral load through consistent treatment cannot sexually transmit the virus to others.
She said this understanding is a powerful tool in dismantling fear and stigma surrounding the disease.
On the shift in transmission patterns, Hanifah said the risk is not confined to any particular group.
“It is not my place to judge anybody, but please take the necessary precautions. It is important to always have self-respect and self-love, but also out of love for your family members, you need to care that whatever happens to you also affects them.”
She urged those sexually active to use condoms and know their partners well.
Meanwhile, Malaysian AIDS Foundation Chairperson Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman said Sabah’s annual notification rate of around 400 new cases placed it among the most affected states in the country.
She said the foundation is in active discussions with the Chief Minister’s office and the State Government to establish a one-stop HIV support centre in Kota Kinabalu and Keningau, building on the existing centre in Sandakan.
“We can only end AIDS by working together, by making sure that anyone who is at risk is given prevention and those who have acquired HIV are tested early so that they can be treated and once treated they will not pass on the virus to others,” she said.
Meanwhile, the programme raised RM400,000, which Dr Adeeba described as a meaningful show of support during challenging times.
She gave special recognition to Sunway Group and Yayasan Petronas, whose combined contributions of more than RM2 million to date had supported the SHAPE programme in Sabah.
The event also recognised the continued support of corporate and philanthropic partners including Berjaya Corporation Berhad, Affin Bank, SMJ Energy and other contributors whose support continues to strengthen HIV treatment access and community support initiatives in Sabah and across Malaysia.
Dr Adeeba praised healthcare workers serving communities in Sabah and Sarawak, acknowledging the unique challenges of delivering services in remote areas reachable only by road, jeep or boat.
“I salute and admire all of you who work in Sabah and Sarawak. To provide services in places where you have to get in a boat is something that only a minority of people have the passion and resilience to do,” she said.
Hilton Kota Kinabalu General Manager Smital Shah-Boultwood said the hotel’s partnership with the Malaysian AIDS Foundation spans 14 years, with the foundation’s Sabah branch currently operating from within the hotel premises.
“Every contribution matters, every partnership, every voice and every act of kindness has the power to bring hope and create meaningful change,” she said.
