A Malaysian doctor has shared the case of a boy who was diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at just 15 years old, making him the youngest HIV patient she has encountered so far.
The doctor revealed in a post on Threads that the boy, now 18, returned to her clinic recently after noticing a whitish discharge from his genitals.
Further tests confirmed that he was HIV-positive and had missed the early treatment window that could have helped better manage the virus. The doctor added that the teen was still actively engaging in risky sexual behaviour.
“He is still sleeping around and appears addicted to the lifestyle,” she wrote, adding that the teen’s sexual role had changed over time.
The doctor also shared that the boy came from a broken family background, where his mother and stepfather paid little attention to him and often left him to manage on his own.
Following the post, many netizens expressed shock and sympathy for the teen’s situation, with some calling for stronger emotional, psychological and medical support.
“He was only a child when he was diagnosed. The adults around him failed him,” one commenter wrote, adding that the teen should be referred to a psychologist and receive proper treatment.
Another netizen hoped the boy would be given comprehensive medical care and sexual health education moving forward.
The doctor’s post has since sparked discussion online about early sexual health education, parental involvement and the importance of timely HIV testing and treatment.
