2022 Key Statistics of HIV in Singapore
There were 202 new diagnoses of HIV in Singapore in 2022. The rate has been declining for three consecutive years, and is the lowest reported since 1998.
The declining numbers are testament to AfA’s effective HIV prevention programmes alongside fruitful work by community partners in the nation. These programmes reach out to key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM), sex workers, and heterosexual persons with multiple partners.
HIV prevention programmes are based on:
- Promoting the correct and consistent usage of condoms
- Supporting access to and proper usage of PrEP
- Encouraging voluntary testing
- Making anti-retroviral treatment more accessible for People Living with HIV (PLHIV). PLHIV with undetectable viral loads cannot transmit HIV through sex (U=U, or Undetectable = Untransmissible)
53% of the newly reported cases were detected during the provision of medical care and typically at a late stage of HIV infection. In comparison, cases detected through self-initiated testing are often in the early stage of infection, which is easier to manage and reduces the risk of onward transmission. A higher proportion of MSM (26% or 29 out of 111) had their HIV infection detected via self-initiated HIV screening compared to cases attributed to heterosexual transmission (just 7% or 5 out of 75).
Increasing voluntary and early testing among Singapore residents is critical in maintaining the declining rates of HIV transmissions.
Reference : Ministry of Health Singapore – Update on the HIV/AIDS situation in Singapore 2022 (June 2023 update) – www.moh.gov.sg/resources-statistics/infectious-disease-statistics/hiv-stats/update-on-the-hiv-aids-situation-in-singapore-2022-(june-2023)