News Desk
MALE’ — The Maldives has recorded 11 new cases of HIV/AIDS over the past two years, data released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) indicates, suggesting that the prevalence of the virus in the country is showing no sign of a downward trend.
According to figures obtained by a local newspaper under the Right to Information Act, health authorities confirmed five new infections last year and six in 2024. This follows a record of three cases in 2023.
Since the first case was detected in the archipelago in 1991, the total number of Maldivians diagnosed with the virus has reached 54.
The HPA’s breakdown of the data paints a stark picture regarding the demographics of those affected. As of October 2024, the cumulative total included 43 men and seven women. The average age of those diagnosed stands at 33, a figure that health officials say underscores the need for more targeted intervention among younger populations.
Compounding the concern is the death toll associated with the virus; HPA statistics show that 16 people in the Maldives have died from AIDS-related complications since the virus was first identified.
While the HPA offers free antiretroviral treatment — a programme that has been in place since 2004 — officials acknowledge that the steady, year-on-year increase in new cases remains a significant public health challenge.
The agency continues to urge the public to be aware of the primary transmission routes, which include unprotected sexual contact, the sharing of needles or syringes for drug use, and mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. There is also a residual risk associated with the transfusion of contaminated blood.
In response to the rising numbers, the HPA has highlighted that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication used to prevent HIV infection, is now available in the country. Despite these efforts, the persistent rise in annual infection rates suggests that the virus remains a pressing, albeit often quiet, concern in Maldivian society.
