SINGAPORE: In a significant step to enhance community access to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing, self-testing kits will be available for purchase at selected retail pharmacies and Action for AIDS (AfA) outlets nationwide by the end of January 2025, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH).
The initiative aims to promote regular and accessible HIV testing, particularly in private and convenient settings.
The kits will include an oral swab for self-collection of specimens, accompanied by links to instructional videos in local languages to ensure ease of use.
Additional resources, including information on HIV and contact details for pre- and post-test counselling hotlines, will be made available at the points of sale.
MOH has emphasized the importance of follow-up care, stating that individuals with positive results from the self-testing kits should seek confirmatory testing from healthcare providers and begin treatment promptly if necessary.
This move builds on the success of a pilot program launched in August 2022 at the Department of Sexually Transmitted Infections Control (DSC) Clinic and AfA.
The program demonstrated that HIV self-testing is safe, effective, and well-received, encouraging individuals—particularly those who had never undergone testing before—to take the crucial step toward knowing their status.
The urgency of increasing HIV testing access follows worrying trends in late-stage diagnoses.
In 2023, 52% of newly detected HIV cases in Singapore were at an advanced stage by the time of diagnosis, a pattern seen in previous years, with 51% in 2022 and 62% in 2021.
Meanwhile, self-initiated testing remains low, with only 15% of cases detected this way in 2023, 17% in 2022, and 16% in 2021.
The availability of self-testing kits is expected to address these gaps by enabling more individuals to test discreetly and independently, thereby facilitating earlier detection and treatment.
For those seeking advice or counselling on HIV or sexual health matters, the DSC Clinic can be contacted at 1800 252 1324, while AfA offers support at 6254 0212.