PHNOM PENH, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Friday launched a long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug, Cabotegravir for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (CAB-PrEP), targeting individuals at high risk of HIV infection.

Speaking at the launching event in Phnom Penh, Health Ministry's Secretary of State Youk Sambath said CAB-PrEP is required to be injected every two months and it is up to 95 percent efficacious in preventing HIV infection.

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.

"CAB-PrEP is a new option for high-risk groups to prevent themselves from infecting HIV more effectively," she said.

"Cambodia is the first country in the region to implement the long-acting injectable Cabotegravir as HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis," she added.

Sambath said in the first phase, CAB-PrEP is available at the National Clinic for AIDS, Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, the Tuol Kork Health Center, and the Chhouk Sar Association in Phnom Penh.

She said CAB-PrEP provides a new choice, alongside oral PrEP, which has been introduced in the Southeast Asian country since 2019.

Sambath said Cambodia is committed to achieving the 95-95-95 HIV treatment targets by the end of 2025.

The targets mean 95 percent of the people who are living with HIV know their HIV status, 95 percent of the people who know that they are living with HIV are on lifesaving antiretroviral treatment, and 95 percent of people who are on treatment are virally suppressed.

According to the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Cambodia has roughly 76,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, of which 69,413 have received antiretroviral drugs.

Some 7,000 people were still unaware that they were infected with HIV, and had not yet received antiretroviral drugs, the NCHADS said.