Speech by Minister of State for Health Dr Amy Khor at the “The Power to change is Within You” Campaign Launch Event

Good afternoon everyone.

1. I’m pleased to be here at the launch of Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s first HIV Anti - Stigma and Discrimination Campaign. The aims of the campaign are two-fold: firstly, to educate the public on the myths and misconceptions associated with HIV and, secondly - for the first time - to reach out to HIV positive patients themselves. More than 5,500 Singapore residents have been diagnosed with HIV, and many of them live in the shadow of stigma and discrimination.

2. In my first year as Chair of the National HIV Policy Committee, I’ve interacted with HIV patients and their caregivers and have heard stories of how stigma and discrimination affects people living with HIV in very real ways. Patients have shared stories of how they kept their HIV positive status a secret because of the fear of rejection from friends and family. Some have also shared how they had lost their jobs and livelihood because of the unfounded fears of their employers.

3. A large part of the Ministry of Health’s efforts against HIV/AIDS is targeted at correcting the misperceptions that members of public have on the transmission of the disease. Stigma and discrimination create an unnecessary barrier to the early detection and treatment of at-risk individuals. Concerned that they may be shunned by their family, rejected by friends, or lose their jobs if they were found to be HIV positive, individuals who practice risky sexual behaviors are afraid of getting a HIV test - to the detriment of their health and to the risk of their sexual partners.

4. Only 14% of all new HIV cases detected in the first half of this year were detected through voluntary testing and, as in previous years, half of the cases were already at a late stage of infection at the time of detection. Late stage cases are preventable with early testing and detection. When detected early, proper follow-up treatment can be prescribed and people living with HIV have a higher chance of living out normal life spans. As long as they take their medication regularly, they can continue to live meaningful lives, and contribute to society and the economy.

5. Discrimination towards people living with HIV remains perhaps because people might not have an adequate understanding of HIV. And this is why Tan Tock Seng Hospital has come out with the campaign this year – The Power to Change is Within You – which is aimed at raising people’s awareness and empathy towards people living with HIV. The campaign also aims to encourage People Living with HIV (PLHIV) to shun the shame and live full lives in the community as they manage their condition.

Campaign Exhibition: Partnership with People Living with HIV and Community

6. Many of us may not personally know a person living with HIV and may view them with certain misconceptions because of their HIV positive status. At today’s launch exhibition, you will discover more about the lives of people living with HIV, and realise that they are just like you and I – people with talents, abilities, hopes and dreams – who can live out normal life-spans with the help of medication. The exhibits, contributed by people living with HIV and our community partners, Clay Connection and the Standard Chartered Bank, aim to show that people living with HIV have valuable knowledge and understanding in different aspects and areas of their lives and that they can also be empowered to be proactive in sharing their knowledge with others.

7. I am glad to hear that some in our society have already moved on from just empathising with a person living with HIV to actively getting educated on the disease and actually acting proactively too. One of the medical social workers at Tan Tock Seng’s Care and Counseling Department told me about how an employer had called her to enquire about how he should manage a staff with HIV. With the patient's permission, she spoke to the employer who was still keen to employ the patient as he felt that the patient was a good worker. Our medical social worker passed him a copy of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) workplace guidelines where he learnt that HIV could not be passed via casual contact in a workplace setting. I am heartened that the patient was eventually employed based on his merit and is doing very well in his job as he receives support from his bosses and colleagues.

Conclusion

8. This is just one example of how a person with HIV is living a meaningful life in the community with employers, family and friends understanding that the disease is not a death sentence.

9. Reducing, and eventually, eradicating stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV will enable them to live normal lives and to support both themselves and their families in our society. I hope that the exhibition will give all of us a better understanding of how a person living with HIV still works, studies and plays like the rest of us, and also encourage potential employers of people living with HIV to empower them as they contribute to our economy. As society matures in its understanding towards HIV and gains further acceptance towards people living with HIV, we would have taken a step forward in building a caring, compassionate and inclusive society which looks out for every member of the community.

10. To the people living with HIV among us, I would like to encourage you to shun the shame and carry on living your lives in the community with dignity and determination, even as you manage your own condition. You are not alone, nor unwanted; and you can make a difference in your life with your gifts, and talents. The power to change is indeed within you, so stand up, step out and be counted.

11. Thank you.