Even though cases of HIV in Malta are slowly increasing, there is still a great deal of misconception about HIV and AIDs among the Maltese.
According to data collected by the Department of Public Health, the number of people suffering from HIV in Malta has increased, with around 133 cases having been reported up to the last few months of this year. There have also been five new cases of AIDS since 2004, two of whom are Maltese.
World AIDS Day was celebrated on Friday and this year marks the 25th anniversary of the first reported case of AIDS – one of the deadliest pandemics of all time that has claimed more than 25 million lives worldwide since the first cases were reported in 1981.
In Europe alone, the number of adults and children suffering from HIV/AIDS increased by 40,000 between 2004 and 2006.
However, Health Promotion Department Director Mario Spiteri recently pointed out in a press conference that these numbers do not reflect reality as many cases are unreported.
Statistics compiled by UNAIDS – the joint United Nations and World Health Organisation (WHO) programme on HIV/AIDS – show that up to the end of November, 40 million people were suffering from the disease.
There is still a lot of misinformation about HIV and AIDS in Malta. According to a recent Eurobarometer study, many Maltese still believe that only 86 per cent of Maltese were aware that the disease can be contracted by having unprotected sex with someone with AIDS or who is HIV positive, while nine per cent did not believe the disease was transmitted through unprotected sex.
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Just 63 per cent of Maltese said they had begun taking precautions when having sex since the emergence of AIDS in the 1980s, while the same number said they have sought more stability in their sexual relationships after the disease began to spread.
Another 20 per cent of Maltese believe AIDS can be passed on with kissing on the mouth, while 32 per cent said it was possible.
Similar percentages applied when asked if AIDS could be transmitted by drinking from the same glass of someone with AIDS or who is HIV positive and by sitting on the same toilet seat.
Around 10 per cent said they did not know that AIDS could be transferred by sharing needles.
Malta was the only EU member State where fewer than 90 per cent of the public is aware of the means of transmission – a figure the report deems as “noteworthy”.
The report also pointed out that Malta was, again, the only member state with fewer than 90 per cent of the population aware that HIV can be passed on in a blood transfusion if the blood donor has AIDS or is HIV positive.
Forty-one per cent of Maltese said they have been more careful about the things they touch since the emergence of the disease – another index where Malta scored highest, while 29 per cent have begun avoiding certain establishments and areas in order to reduce the chances of them contracting the disease.
A local report compiled by the Health Ministry and sent to the UNAIDS office on 3 January 2006 stated that a “sexual health policy has been drafted following consultations, but still needs to be endorsed.”
The sexual health policy had been drafted by the Health Promotion Department back in 2002 and was handed to the authorities soon after but was never implemented or launched.
The document said it had a twofold aim: to improve the sexual health of the population and to narrow inequalities in sexual health.
The policy called for the increase of monitoring surveillance and to conduct research to support future planning and delivery of sexual health services and interventions.