HIV in Malaysia: symptoms, testing, PrEP and treatment

HIV in Malaysia today

Malaysia has recorded an average of about 3,170 new HIV cases a year since 2018, according to the Ministry of Health. There were 3,185 in 2024, and a preliminary 3,004 in 2025. That is less than half the peak of nearly 7,000 a year in the early 2000s.

• 90% of new cases are men, and three-quarters are aged 20 to 39. In 2023, 44% were in their twenties.
• 96% of new infections are sexually transmitted, around two-thirds among men who have sex with men. Infections from sharing needles, once the main route, are now rare.
• In 2024, 135 new cases were adolescents aged 10 to 19, and 222 were students in higher education.
• An estimated 85,000 people live with HIV in Malaysia. About 16% don’t know they have it.

Malaysia was the first country in the Western Pacific to be validated by the WHO for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, in 2018, and kept that status in October 2026. About 99% of pregnant women with HIV now receive treatment.

HIV vs AIDS: what is the difference?

• HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus. It attacks CD4 cells, part of the immune system.
• AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the most advanced stage of untreated HIV. It is diagnosed when the CD4 count falls below 200, or when certain serious infections or cancers develop. The WHO now calls this “advanced HIV disease”.

Without treatment, HIV usually takes years to progress to AIDS. With treatment, most people never develop AIDS.

U=U: undetectable = untransmittable. People with HIV who take their treatment and keep the virus at undetectable levels do not pass HIV on to their sexual partners. This is backed by the WHO and the US CDC.

Early HIV symptoms, including the HIV rash

Some people get a short, flu-like illness 2 to 6 weeks after infection, as the body reacts to the virus:

• Fever, sore throat, tiredness and aching muscles
• Swollen glands in the neck, armpits or groin
• A rash: usually flat and slightly raised red spots spread across the body, lasting a short time
• Occasionally mouth or genital ulcers

These symptoms usually go away within a few weeks. After that, HIV often causes no symptoms for many years, while it slowly damages the immune system.

Early HIV symptoms are the same for men and women, and they look like many other common infections. You can’t tell from symptoms alone. The only way to know your HIV status is to get tested.

Where and how to get tested in Malaysia

• Government health clinics (Klinik Kesihatan): HIV screening has been offered free for Malaysians, apart from the registration fee. Results are confidential.
• Community and NGO testing: the Malaysian AIDS Council and partner organisations offer friendly, confidential testing and counselling.
• Private clinics and hospitals: for a fee, usually with fast results.
• Self-test kits: since November 2024, HIV self-test kits have been sold at selected pharmacies and online through the TestNow programme, run with the Ministry of Health and the Malaysian AIDS Foundation. A positive self-test must be confirmed at a clinic.

The window period: a test can miss a very recent infection. According to the US CDC, a laboratory blood test can detect HIV from 18 to 45 days after exposure, and rapid finger-prick and self-tests from 23 to 90 days. If you test early, test again after the window period.

Preventing HIV: PrEP and PEP

• PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine taken by HIV-negative people to prevent infection. Taken as prescribed, it is highly effective. Since 2023, PrEP has been offered free at selected government health clinics. By mid-2025, 35 clinics offered it and more than 9,300 people had started it. It is also available at private clinics.
• PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is a 28-day course of HIV medicine taken after a possible exposure, such as condomless sex or sexual assault. It must be started within 72 hours, and the sooner the better. It is available at selected government hospitals, university hospitals and private clinics. The Malaysian AIDS Council lists providers on its website. Go straight away rather than waiting.
• Condoms also protect against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Treatment for HIV

HIV is treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART): a combination of medicines taken every day. ART doesn’t cure HIV, but it stops the virus multiplying, lets the immune system recover, and prevents transmission. Treatment is started as soon as possible after diagnosis.

First-line HIV treatment has been provided free to Malaysian citizens at Ministry of Health facilities since 2006. Around 50,700 people were on treatment in 2024. Taking medicine every day and keeping regular check-ups is the key to staying well.

The premarital HIV test

HIV screening is compulsory for all Muslim couples before marriage in Malaysia. It started in Johor in 2001 and has been nationwide since 2009.

• The test is done at government health clinics. You can book an appointment through MySejahtera.
• If you apply through the state Islamic religious department, you’ll get a screening form (borang) for your couple. Bring it to the test.
• The result is valid for 6 months.
• If the result is positive, you’ll be offered counselling at the health clinic and the religious office.

For non-Muslim couples, premarital HIV screening is voluntary, but it is a good idea for both partners.

Living with HIV, without stigma

HIV can affect anyone, and stigma stops people from getting tested and treated. People with HIV can work, marry, have children who are HIV-negative, and live full lives.

If you face discrimination in a health setting, the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) can help, through its MAC CARE service. Complaints about government facilities can also be made through the government’s public complaints system.

Where to get an HIV test

Government health clinics offer free HIV screening for Malaysians, and many private GP clinics offer confidential HIV testing and can refer you for PrEP or treatment. Our directory lists GP clinics across Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and other states, including clinics open in the evening and at weekends.

Browse the clinic directory

Frequently asked questions