WOMEN INFECTED BY HIV

WOMEN INFECTED BY HIV: 5.

Mdm Halimah Yacob asked 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.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: 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% (nine in 10), were infected through sexual transmission. So, the most effective way to protect the women is through public education and direct counselling of HIV-positive patients. That is why it is so important for us to do more HIV screening so that we can pick up the carriers early

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and to track down their sexual partners for counselling.

Mdm Halimah Yacob: I would like to ask the Minister whether there is a medical protocol in private hospitals, public hospitals, polyclinics and the GP clinics as well, where there is a male patient diagnosed with HIV, there is a requirement also for the doctors to follow up with the spouse of the male patient, in order to ensure whether the spouse is infected or not and whether there is a need for further follow-up medical treatment for the spouse.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: There is indeed such a protocol and, in fact, we centralise the follow-up action. The requirement is that all doctors, whether in public or private hospital, GP or specialist, once they identify and diagnose a HIV-positive case, they have to inform

our CDC, and then we will follow up. Notification to spouse is one of those follow-up actions which we will do. We would follow up with the spouse, inform the spouse and also test the spouse so that we know the HIV status. If the spouse has already been infected, likely by the husband, then we can begin treatment. Or if the spouse is not yet infected or is not positive, we can advise the couple on proper precautions in order to hopefully avoid the infection.