Malaysian AIDS Council awards Global Fund grants to two Sub-recipients to pilot HIV intervention programmes targeting Men who have Sex with Men (MSM)

The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) is pleased to announce Kuala Lumpur AIDS Support Services Society (KLASS) and Intan Life Zone (ILZ) as the selected sub-recipients to pilot a 21-month Pilot HIV Intervention Programme targeting Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) in Malaysia, starting October 2014.

This programme aims to create a set of evidence-based models of intervention to reduce the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS among MSM, which could be upscaled or duplicated in the future. The focus would be on demonstrating feasibility of addressing service gaps, and strengthening linkages of care (from rapid and HIV confirmatory tests to negative and positive prevention as well as access to antiretroviral treatment, support, and adherence).

A Technical Review Panel Meeting was held on 14 August 2014 to discuss and identify the Sub-recipients with the best potential to implement the pilot programmes. The panel was in favour of KLASS for its innovation and ability to demonstrate linkages of services. KLASS’ approach will also help in mainstreaming sexual health needs of MSM into the public healthcare service. The panel selected ILZ with a view to strengthening its capacity to initiate HIV intervention work for MSM in hopes of addressing the high HIV prevalence among MSM in Johor and the non-existence of HIV intervention work specific for MSM there.

MAC congratulates both KLASS and ILZ on the selection and looks forward to successful implementations of their respective programmes.

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About Kuala Lumpur AIDS Support Services Society (KLASS)

Established in 2002, KLASS pioneered the Peer Support and Counselling for patients diagnosed with HIV through the Hospital Peer Support Programme (HPSP), currently based in six government health centres in Klang Valley and Seremban. To date, there are 16 HPSP projects nationwide. KLASS also manages a shelter home for people living with HIV (PLHIV), and conducts regular MSM-specific information and support group sessions for PLHIV. Additionally, the organisation runs prevention programmes in institutions of tertiary education. Their programmes are currently funded by the Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

About Intan Life Zone (ILZ)

Intan Life Zone began implementing the Harm Reduction programme for People who Inject Drugs in 2005, funded by the Ministry of Health. The organisation has since rapidly scaled up its Harm Reduction programme in terms of service coverage with the support from the Global Fund Grant (since 2011) and The International HIV/AIDS Alliance’s Community Action on Harm Reduction (CAHR) Project (since 2012) under MAC. The organisation is also the recipient of the Global Fund grant since 2011 for the HIV prevention services for sex workers (female, transgender, and male).

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