SINGAPORE, Dec 1 — Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) self-testing kits will be available for purchase at selected retail pharmacies in Singapore by the end of January 2025, as part of the republic’s efforts to encourage regular testing.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the kits, which involve self-collection of oral specimens using a swab, will also be available at Action for AIDS (AfA), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to fighting HIV infection and AIDS in the country.

“HIV self-testing was piloted by the Department of Sexually Transmitted Infections Control (DSC) Clinic and AfA from August 2022 to complement existing testing modalities.

“The pilot demonstrated the acceptability, safety and effective use of HIV self-testing, and it encouraged uptake among those who had never previously tested for HIV,” the MOH said in a statement yesterday.

The ministry noted that the results of a single rapid diagnostic test, such as the HIV self-testing kit, are not sufficient to diagnose HIV infection.

Individuals who test positive using the self-testing kit should undergo further confirmatory testing with a healthcare provider and be referred for treatment.

“If the test result is negative but the individual has had recent unprotected sexual exposure or is at a higher risk for HIV infection, it may take up to three months for antibodies to HIV to develop and be detectable by the testing kit. Repeat HIV testing is advisable,” the MOH said.

According to the MOH, a large portion of newly detected HIV cases in Singapore were diagnosed at a late stage, with 52 per cent of them diagnosed in late-stage infection in 2023, 51 per cent in 2022, and 62 per cent in 2021.

In addition, the proportion of cases detected through self-initiated HIV testing remained relatively low, with 15 per cent in 2023, 17 per cent in 2022, and 16 per cent in 2021.

The MOH and the Health Promotion Board recommend that every adult should be tested for HIV at least once in their lifetime, regardless of their risk factors.

Individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behaviours should undergo regular HIV testing every three to six months, it added. — Bernama