Since the 1st of December 1988, World AIDS Day has been observed around the globe to raise awareness about the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
In “The Global AIDS Monitoring Report 2022” published by the Ministry of Health Malaysia, it was estimated that almost 82,000 people were living with HIV in Malaysia at the end of 2021, of which more than 67,000 people were notified through the national surveillance system.
The development of AIDS leads to a weakened immune system in individuals, which can increase the risk of contracting opportunistic infections.
Due to this increased risk, maintaining good oral health among people living with HIV (PLHIV) and AIDS should be given the utmost importance.