AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Cambodia has outlined the range of support programmes it offers to people living with HIV, placing particular emphasis on the role of its "follow-up" system. These structured procedures are designed to help newly diagnosed individuals start treatment without delay and to bring those who miss appointments back into care as swiftly as possible.

Even so, a number of obstacles continue to interrupt consistent treatment, including financial hardship, stigma, side effects from medication and mental health struggles.

Figures from AHF Cambodia show the organisation currently assists 55,976 people living with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART), delivered through 42 treatment sites spread across 19 provinces and the capital.

Diagnosis is only the beginning

According to AHF, identifying people living with HIV is merely the first stage. Connecting them to treatment and keeping them engaged in care are essential to reaching viral suppression and cutting down on new infections.

Over recent years, more than 90% of people who test positive through AHF-supported programmes have been successfully linked to care, ensuring that the overwhelming majority of those diagnosed reach treatment services.

Dr Chhim Sarath, AHF Asia Bureau Chief, said protecting Cambodia's gains depends on ongoing support for people already in treatment as well as efforts to re-engage those who have dropped out.

"Finding people who are living with HIV is only the beginning. The next critical step is ensuring that they are connected to treatment and supported to remain in care," he said.

When treatment is effective and maintained, people living with HIV can reach viral suppression. Once the virus is suppressed to an undetectable level, it cannot be transmitted sexually.

Sarath added that continued progress will also mean reaching beyond current treatment centres. "Sustaining Cambodia's progress will require continued support for people already in care, renewed efforts to reconnect people who have been lost to follow-up, and expanded services for communities in remote areas," he said.

Keeping clients in care

For those who have already started ART, staying on treatment requires more than just handing out medicine — it needs a dependable follow-up system.

Dr Chan Phanna, AHF Cambodia country programme manager, said that while free ART is essential, counselling, confidentiality and prompt follow-up are equally important in keeping clients engaged.

If a client misses a scheduled appointment to pick up their medication, the clinic's data management system flags this to staff, prompting follow-up. Staff or counsellors then reach out to the client, their support network or caregiver by phone or Telegram to find out why the appointment was missed, offer support and encourage a return to treatment.

When direct contact fails, community teams and self-help networks can carry out follow-up at the local level while protecting privacy, working to uncover the barriers to access and help clients reconnect with treatment. This is paired with client-focused services such as counselling, confidentiality and outreach to areas where healthcare is harder to obtain.

Barriers beyond free medication

Phanna pointed out that some challenges cannot be solved simply by providing ART at no cost.

"Although ART is provided free of charge at public hospitals, a lack of money for travelling to the clinic, being unable to take time off work or inadequate nutrition can still become significant barriers," he said.

For people who rely on daily wages, a clinic visit can mean lost work and lost income, leading some to choose earning money over keeping an appointment — which can disrupt their treatment.

Stigma and privacy fears also stand in the way. Some people are hesitant to take medication in front of others or collect it from a clinic, worried that family, friends or colleagues might discover their status.

Early side effects such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness and fatigue can discourage some from continuing. Mental health difficulties — including depression, severe stress and hopelessness — may also weaken a person's motivation or capacity to take medicine regularly, while busy schedules can lead to missed doses.

Long-term treatment fatigue is another issue. "Treatment requires patients to take medication for life. Over time, clients may become tired of it, or they may feel healthy again and decide to stop taking the medicine," Phanna said.

Strong results so far

AHF reported that among clients who stay on treatment and remain adherent, the viral suppression rate has reached 99.2%. The organisation encourages starting ART as soon as possible after diagnosis.

These results reflect outcomes from AHF-supported programmes and should not be taken as national rates for all people living with HIV in Cambodia.

Given Cambodia's advances in its HIV response, keeping people in treatment has become especially important. The country reached the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets in 2026 — measures covering the share of people living with HIV who know their status, those diagnosed who are on ART, and those in treatment who have achieved viral suppression.