Number of people opting for anonymous HIV testing jumps 20% from 2008
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 28 November 2009 0606 hrs

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SINGAPORE : More people are choosing to be tested anonymously for HIV in Singapore.

Latest figures from the Ministry of Health (MOH) showed a jump of 20 per cent, from the year before.

But while overall infection rates remain stable, the report has also raised some concern.

Outreach programmes such as the photo exhibition by Action for AIDS have helped raise public awareness about HIV.

And this has translated into an increase in the number of people coming forward to be tested.

In the first nine months of this year, 129,966 people got tested, compared to 124,559 the year before.

The availability of more clinics offering anonymous testing since last November has also shown to be an incentive for many.

Four more GP clinics started offering the service in November 2008, up from three previously.

They are Dr Jay Medical Centre, Dr Soh Family Clinic, M Lam Clinic and Robertson Medical Practice. The other three are Action for AIDS, Cambridge Clinic and Anteh Dispensary.

Between January and October, 8,373 opted for anonymous testing, compared to 6,983 the same period in 2008. That's an increase of 20 per cent.

As of October, there have been 378 new cases of HIV, and the MOH said the overall figure for 2009 is likely to be similar for the whole of 2008.

But one figure has attracted some concern.

Between January and June this year, 27 women tested positive, compared to 30 in the whole of 2008.

Action for AIDS said it is too early to see if this turns into a trend, but it will be monitoring the situation closely.

Out of the 218 new cases reported in the same six-month period, nearly two-thirds or 129 cases got infected through heterosexual activity.

Sex between men accounted for another 33 per cent of new cases.

The figures also throw up sharp discrepancies between men and women.

Out of the 4,159 reported HIV cases as of June, 9 in 10 are males. Most are single men who contracted the virus through casual sex, and sex with prostitutes.

Among women however, most were infected while they were married.

The ministry said these figures reflect a trend similar to previous years. - CNA /ls