Disclosure of HIV-positive Status Under Section 23(1) of the IDA

NOTICE PAPER NO. 285
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 1 MARCH 2021

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Leon Perera
MP for Aljunied GRC

Question No. 523

To ask the Minister for Health (a) in the past five years, many persons living with HIV have been (i) prosecuted and (ii) convicted for failing to disclose their HIV-positive status to their sexual partners under Section 23(1) of the Infectious Diseases Act (IDA); and (b) whether the Ministry has conducted any studies to confirm the effectiveness of criminalising HIV non-disclosure to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in Singapore.

Answer

Since 2016 to present, five persons have been prosecuted for offences under section 23(1) of the Infectious Diseases Act (IDA), among whom three have been convicted of the charges.  The two other cases are ongoing in Court.

Section 23(1) of the IDA requires persons living with HIV to inform their sexual partners of the risk of HIV transmission, so that their sexual partners can make an informed decision whether to proceed with the sexual encounter, and to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves, which will in turn reduce the risk of HIV transmission.