HIV self-testing kits will be available for sale at selected Guardian and Watsons pharmacies by the end of January 2025, as part of efforts by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to encourage regular testing within the community.
With the introduction of such kits, individuals will now have greater access to HIV testing and the option to test themselves in the comfort and privacy of their own homes, without the fear of stigma, Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary said on Nov 30.
"This initiative goes beyond the addition of another testing modality in our fight against HIV. It empowers individuals to take charge of their own health, and it reinforces the idea that early detection is crucial for the initiation of treatment," he added.
Dr Janil was speaking at the 14th edition of the Singapore Aids Conference organised by non-governmental organisation Action for Aids Singapore (AfA Singapore).
In 2023, 209 new cases of HIV infections were reported among Singapore residents. The total number of HIV-infected Singapore residents stood at 9,540 as at the end of 2023, of whom 2,457 have died.
The initiative to introduce HIV self-testing started as a pilot programme in 2022 led by the National HIV Programme, with community partners AfA and the Department of Sexually Transmitted Infections Control (DSC) Clinic.
"In that process, HIV self-testing has been shown to be safe, to be effective and to be widely accepted among the key populations and the general public," said Dr Janil.
The OraQuick HIV Self-Test Kit is also on sale on National Skin Centre Pharmacy's website at $21.85. The kits will have an oral swab for detecting the body's natural antibodies, and results can be obtained after at least 20 minutes.
Bu hikaye The Straits Times dergisinin December 01, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Straits Times dergisinin December 01, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
CALLIGRAPHY IS BIG WITH ARTIST
The boulders hiding in the alcove of Tong Yang-tze's (right) Taipei apartment testify to this Taiwanese calligrapher's daunting perfectionism. They are paper - remnants of discarded artworks, crumpled together like used tissues and soaked into inky wads of pulp. Hundreds of old drafts of writing, including many of her efforts to draw Chinese poetry at a monumental scale, have been recycled into these rocks over the years, most recently as she worked on her commission for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which debuted on Nov 21.
Mattel sued over Wicked dolls with porn website link
LOS ANGELES - Mattel was sued on Dec 3 by a South Carolina mother for mistakenly putting a link to a pornographic website on packaging for dolls tied to the blockbuster movie Wicked.
Taiwanese musician-director Liu Chia-chang a composer of hit songs
Famed veteran Taiwanese musician and director Liu Chia-chang has died at the age of 81.
Actress Kristal Tin reveals lung cancer diagnosis
Former TVB actress Kristal Tin revealed on Instagram on Dec 3 that she has undergone successful surgery for lung cancer.
South Korean entertainment schedules up in the air
SEOUL - Schedules of performances and interviews in South Korea have been thrown into a state of uncertainty by a sudden martial law declaration that was lifted only a few hours later.
Host Dasmond Koh surprised by martial law edict while in Seoul for work
Upheaval in Seoul, South Korea
Squid Game returns to end 2024 with a bang
In this monthly column, The Straits Times' streaming picks for December include the long-awaited second season of the survivalist hit Squid Game (2021 to present) and its non-lethal equivalent.
Flow speaks Volumes, The Room Next Door a thin melodrama
In the wake of a devastating flood, a cat finds refuge with motley stranded animals on a tattered sailboat.
Funeral rites come alive in The Last Dance
The Hong Kong drama offers fascinating glimpses into the city's funeral traditions
Tolkien and anime work well together, says Japanese director
NEW YORK - It has been a decade since the work of fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien last appeared on the big screen.
