Taipei: Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) marked World AIDS Day on Monday by inviting drag queens for a performance in the hope of breaking down continuing stigma against people living with HIV, even as the agency forecast that new HIV infections in Taiwan this year will fall below 900, to a 22-year low. "We've slowly moved beyond just talking about respect and acceptance," CDC Director-General Lo Yi-chun said in his opening remarks at a press event on HIV prevention and stigma reduction in Taipei.

According to Focus Taiwan, the event, themed "Breaking Myths, Keeping Love on Track," transformed the CDC's main auditorium into a runway-like space bathed in dimmed light, setting the stage for performances by local drag queens Chiang Weiii, Hannah, and Bagel. The trio, introduced by Lo as the "house daughters" of well-known drag queen Nymphia, took to the stage as health ambassadors to dance and interact with the crowd. The CDC expressed hope that its "bold and inclusive image" would help dispel long-held myths and discrimination surrounding AIDS.

In his speech, Lo noted that the number of newly reported HIV infections as of late November stood at around 800 and is expected to end the year at under 900, marking a 22-year low. Noting that more than 1,000 cases were reported last year, Lo highlighted that Taiwan's policies on HIV testing, follow-up, and treatment are on the right track, leading to a decline in new infections this year.

Lo also emphasized that HIV testing has been more active this year than last year, with the cumulative number of HIV self-tests rising from roughly 64,000 to over 74,000 as of October. To further strengthen prevention, Lo announced that the enrollment quota of the publicly funded HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) program will be raised from 8,000 people this year to 9,500 in 2026. Supported by a budget of NT$340 million (US$10.8 million), up NT$40 million from this year, the goal is to further reduce the number of new infections next year to below 800.