While Cambodia has taken significant steps to combat HIV/AIDS, more than 60,000 people are still at risk of contracting the virus, according to UNAIDS.

Narmada Dhakal, acting officer for UNAIDS Cambodia, told the Post yesterday that 60,571 people are estimated to be at risk of contracting HIV, with entertainment workers who sell sex, transgender people, drug users and homosexual men among those most at risk.

“This figure excludes the prison population who are at risk . . . but their size has not been estimated yet,” Dhakal said. It also does not include pregnant women who could pass the virus to their babies.

“Cambodia is among the highest treatment coverage countries in the region and worldwide for low-income countries,” Dhakal said.

But with more than 70,000 people already infected, Tim Vora, executive director of the HIV/AIDS Coordinating Committee, said a lack of adequate funding needs to

be addressed.

“As HIV/AIDS has reduced, many NGOs reduced their programs and turned their efforts to other fields,” he said. “The government needs to provide more money.”