SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health said 218 people were
diagnosed HIV positive in the first six months of this year.
The number is up from 154 cases in the same period last year but
slightly less than half of the 456 HIV cases for the whole of
2008.
Clinics which started offering anonymous HIV testing last
November said they have seen up to three times more patients coming
for testing.
One practice in Jurong West is one of seven clinics across
Singapore conducting anonymous HIV tests. Some 200 to 300 people
have been tested here since last November and six results have come
back HIV-positive.
Dr Raymond Soh uses a rapid test which gives a result within 20
minutes.
Dr Soh, general practitioner, Dr Soh Family Clinic, said:
"Before the testing, I usually do a pre-test counselling. I will
advise them on the implication of a positive test, tell them about
the consequences.
"If they are not ready to accept a positive test, I will
postpone the test. So most of them, when they are tested positive,
they are usually calm."
Those who want to get tested at any of the seven anonymous
clinics do not need to provide their names or IC numbers. But the
clinics must provide the number of cases that have been tested HIV
positive to the Health Ministry. This data will then be used to
study the spread of the disease.
The largest provider of anonymous HIV testing is Action For
Aids. The non-profit organisation conducted 7,593 tests last year,
of which 136 were positive. It has not given any numbers on
HIV-positive cases from its clinic this year.
Lionel Lee, executive director, Action for Aids, said: "Post
test counselling is a very important procedure that all anonymous
test sites should follow closely, especially if one is HIV
positive.
"We direct them to our support group "Project Hope", where these
individuals are given the right information and a buddying system
to help them allay their fears as well as being given the right
information on medication and treatment."
The organisation encourages patients to seek treatment in
Singapore rather than overseas. But the upfront costs can be
substantial.
So, starting from September, patients diagnosed with HIV at the
Action For Aids clinic at Kelantan Lane will receive S$200 to help
them pay for the treatment.