Country investigates second village clinic over HIV contamination

ben adhoc

February 22, 2016 1:40 PM

In December, an unlicensed medic was sentenced to 25 years in prison for transmitting HIV to 270 people through contaminated needles in a village of Battambang province, 250 kilometres north-west of Phnom Penh.

Cambodia investigates second village clinic over HIV contamination

Cambodia is investigating reports of a new crop of HIV cases that villagers have linked to contaminated needles at a local health centre.

An official report on Monday in Phnom Penh stated that 10 people have been diagnosed HIV-positive in the past two weeks out of a population of 1,000 in Peam village, around 35 kilometres from Phnom Penh.

It said that the unusual profile of the patients, such as old age and monogamy, raised a red flag with provincial health authorities.

Meanwhile, Health Minister, Mam Bunheng, who declined to discuss details, said it would only create chaos.

He said necessary actions would be taken.

The residents in their reactions blamed contaminated needles used by a local doctor.

The preference for medication administered by injection and poor medical training raises the risk of HIV transmission in local medical facilities.

According to UNAIDS, Cambodia has slowed HIV transmission since its peak in the late 1990s, but there are still 75,000 people living with the virus in a population of 15 million.

ben adhoc