Homophobia helps HIV in Russia and Malaysia

In its Equal Eyes recaps of the world’s LGBTI news, UNAIDS reports:

In Russia, the head of the Russian Federal AIDS Center, Vadim Pokrovskiy, is calling attention to Russia’s escalating AIDS epidemic that saw over 100,000 new infections in 2016. Pokrovsky and other experts say homophobia, a “negative view” of drug users, and a refusal by officials to admit there is a problem prevents the country from adopting effective prevention and treatment policies.

In Malaysia, the Malaysian AIDS Council spoke out against “fear-mongering” by local press and officials against LGBT people. The group warned that homophobic and transphobic language prevents vulnerable people from seeking HIV-related services and will undermine community friendly efforts to improve treatment nationwide.