Synopsis: Officials release surveillance data showing infection rates remain stable, dismissing online claims of a fresh epidemic.
The National AIDS Authority (NAA) has dismissed social media reports claiming that HIV infections are spreading rapidly in Cambodia, stating that Ministry of Health surveillance data show no evidence of an outbreak.
In a statement yesterday, the NAA said its clarification was based on figures from the national HIV and AIDS monitoring and evaluation system.
The NAA said Cambodia’s HIV prevention programme was among the most successful in the world, noting that the country was the first in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve the global 95-95-95 targets. These targets require that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed receive antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
The NAA reported that Cambodia achieved a result of 95-100-98.
People living with HIV in Cambodia receive free lifelong treatment and qualify for social protection benefits as vulnerable households.
According to the NAA, Cambodia recorded between 17,000 and 25,000 new HIV infections annually during the 1990s. Following preventive measures and public health responses, new infections declined steadily to about 1,700 in 2021 and 960 in 2025.
The authority urged individuals who suspect they may have contracted HIV, particularly young people and high-risk groups, to seek testing at health centres or referral hospitals nationwide.
Residents in Phnom Penh, Kandal, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Poipet, Preah Sihanouk, Siem Reap, Takeo, Kampot, and Kampong Cham can also obtain free self-testing kits by scanning a QR code, the NAA added.
The NAA stressed that testing is essential for knowing one’s status and urged the public not to share unverified reports.
A joint statement issued by the government and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS on June 12 confirmed Cambodia’s milestone as the first in the region to meet the global targets.
However, authorities noted that new infections continue, with 84% occurring among key populations and their partners. Cambodia aims to reduce annual new infections to fewer than 250 by 2030.
