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17 September 2007

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17 Sep 2007

Question No:  351  

Question

Name of the Person: Mdm Halimah Yacob, MP for Jurong GRC

To ask the Minister for Health with the record increase in HIV cases last year (a) whether there is concern that women are now more exposed to HIV infection compared to the past; (b) what is the number of women infected by HIV in each of the last five years; (c) what are the most common causes of their infection; and (d) what measures are being taken to educate and protect women from infection by their spouses.

Reply

Reply From MOH

The number of women infected by HIV was 28 in 2002, 30 in 2003, 21 in 2004, 30 in 2005 and 32 in 2006.  While the number is quite stable, we should not be complacent for reasons which I have given in my earlier reply to Dr Lim Wee Kiak. 

The vast majority of these cases, 91%, were infected through sexual transmission.  Hence the most effective way to protect the women is through public education and direct counselling of HIV-positive patients.  That is why it is important for us to do more HIV screening so that we can pick up the carriers early and to track down their sexual partners for counselling.