Enhancing adoption of HIV testing

11 Jan 2010

Question No:  274   

Question

Name of the Person: Ms Ellen Lee Geck Hoon

To ask the Minister for Health what is the Ministry’s strategy or plan to further enhance the outreach and adoption of voluntary HIV testing so as to better manage the spread of HIV in Singapore.

Reply

Reply From MOH

HIV is a deadly disease, with no cure at the moment, but it is preventable. Hence, our emphasis is on prevention, including regular screening for the high-risk groups.  Regular screening, leading to early detection of HIV-infected cases, has two advantages.  First, this allows early treatment to commence, which can delay the progression of the disease and raise the patients’ quality of life.  Second, the patients can then be counseled on safe sex, thus protecting their sexual partners and preventing new infections.

2. Compared to last year, more people have been tested for HIV, nearly 14,500 per month. But this is not good enough. Among the 218 new HIV-positive cases detected in the first half of this year, only 11% were picked up during voluntary HIV testing. The majority were detected when they sought medical care.  More than half of the new cases were at late-stage HIV infection. We need more high-risk groups to come forward for voluntary HIV testing and to do so regularly. 

3. To promote voluntary HIV testing, we have adopted a number of initiatives.  First, rapid test kits using saliva or finger-prick blood samples are now available in GP clinics. These tests can give a result in about 20 minutes at the same clinic visit.

4. Second, anonymous HIV testing is now available in 7 clinics. We will increase the number of such clinics, when the demand grows further.  Currently, the number of anonymous tests is below 850 per month.

5. Third, HIV screening on an opt-out basis is now provided to all adult inpatients in acute public hospitals. Such opportunistic screening is convenient for the patients.   

6. Fourth, we have regular public education programmes to raise awareness, both for the general population and in schools and workplaces.  We also have targeted prevention programmes for high-risk groups, encouraging them to go for regular HIV testing and to practise safe sex.  An important part of public education is to address misconceptions so as to help reduce stigma associated with HIV.

7. But we need to do more and we are roping in other partners to help in this cause.  The Singapore National Employers’ Federation (SNEF) is an important partner. It has produced a set of guidelines on the management of HIV at the workplace. They include a recommendation that employers should not terminate the services of employees just because of HIV. The fear of fellow employees contracting HIV infection at the workplace from an infected colleague is unfounded, unless they are sexual partners. A supportive and non-discriminatory work environment will go a long way to convince the high-risk employees to go for regular screening. We encourage all employers to adopt the SNEF guidelines and put their employees at ease.