Taiwan to expand HIV treatment subsidies to more foreign nationals

Taipei, June 29 (CNA) New HIV infections have steadily declined among Taiwanese but not among foreign nationals in Taiwan, CDC Director-General Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞) said Monday, and he is hoping a change in policy will improve the trend line for foreign residents.

Lo was speaking at the launch of a mobile public awareness campaign ahead of Taiwan's U=U Day on July 2. U=U, or "Undetectable = Untransmittable," refers to the scientific consensus that people with HIV who maintain undetectable viral loads cannot sexually transmit the virus.

New cases among Taiwanese have fallen from over 2,000 a year from 2012 to 2017 to 1,069 by 2022 and around 850 in 2025, according to CDC data, but Lo said cases among foreign nationals have remained steady, averaging 106 per year over the past five years.

Under Taiwan's existing program for those who are diagnosed with HIV, the CDC covers costs for an HIV patient's first two years on medication, after which expenses are covered by the national health insurance (NHI) system.

At present, support during the first two years to cover the NT$12,000-18,000 (US$377-565) a month expense for antiretroviral therapy only extends to three categories of foreign nationals who are legal residents.

They are foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens, people covered under a special program for Thai-Myanmar migrants and Tibetans stranded in Taiwan, and those infected while getting medical treatment in Taiwan.

In May, Lo said, the Ministry of Health and Welfare approved a proposal to extend coverage to permanent foreign residents and legally residing foreign minors under age 18, which will expand eligibility to an estimated two to 11 more people each year.

The new eligibility rules, which could take effect by the end of this year, will cost the government an additional NT$1 million to NT$5.5 million, which can be covered within the existing budget, Lo said.

Calling it "a small step toward equality" for people with HIV, Lo said bringing more foreign nationals into the treatment system would help reduce new infections through U=U.

Taiwan AIDS Society Chairman Lu Po-liang (盧柏樑) said large-scale clinical studies have consistently shown that people with HIV who maintain an undetectable viral load through antiretroviral therapy have zero risk of sexually transmitting the virus.

About 8 percent of people with HIV in Taiwan have yet to be tested or treated, Lu said, and he urged them to seek testing and treatment, noting that modern therapy requires just one pill a day with fewer side effects, allowing them to lead normal lives.

Persons with HIV/AIDS Rights Advocacy Association Secretary-General Lin Yi-hui (林宜慧) said public awareness of U=U remains concentrated in Taipei.

This year's campaign, Lin said, will tour Taiwan's six special municipalities to spread the message more broadly and help reduce the stigma of HIV.