AfA Welcomes the Amendment to Section 23(1) of the Infectious Diseases Act
March 08, 2024
Action for AIDS Singapore (AfA) welcomes the amendment to Section 23(1) of the Infectious Diseases Act (IDA), which was unanimously passed in parliament on 7th March. The amendment means that people living with HIV (PLHIV) and who have undetectable viral loads are no longer required to inform their sexual partners as there is no risk of HIV infection. The following conditions need to be met:
- Have a stable undetectable HIV viral load consistently below 200 copies per ml of blood, for at least six months, based on test results from a recognised laboratory,
- Have their most recent undetectable viral load test result should be nine months or less before the sexual activity in question,
- Have adhered to medical treatment for HIV infection up to the time of the sexual activity.
Special and specific laws that criminalise the possibility of HIV transmission have not been shown to reduce the spread of HIV. On the contrary, they have had the opposite effect of perpetuating HIV-related stigma and discrimination experienced by persons living with and those at risk of HIV. The prospect of prosecution, conviction, and public shaming of individuals who fall foul of the law results in the fear of HIV testing, delay in initiation of treatment, poorer clinical outcomes, and continued HIV transmission in the community.
AfA welcomes the amendment as it will help advance public health goals of reducing HIV transmissions and HIV-related stigma. It keeps our legislation up to date with scientific evidence on the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in suppressing the viral loads of PLHIV down to undetectable levels, thus preventing onward transmission of HIV to their sexual partners. This is known as Undetectable = Untransmittable, or U=U, and also been endorsed by the World Health Organization and major health institutions and governments.
Legislation that is fairer towards those who cannot transmit HIV will encourage voluntary HIV testing, reduce HIV-related stigma and encourage treatment compliance among PLHIV. We hope the amendment will encourage sexually active persons to go for HIV testing and get on treatment as soon as possible if diagnosed with HIV.
Our position has always been that sexual health and HIV prevention is a shared responsibility between sexual partners where precautions should be undertaken by both parties. We have a range of HIV prevention tools like condoms and Pre/Post exposure prophylaxis (PrEP/PEP) available today that can empower everyone to stay safe regardless of their partner’s status.
In our Community Blueprint launched in 2019, AfA seeks to end HIV in Singapore by 2030 and this amendment of the IDA would most definitely move us forward towards our goal. Besides ramping up on safer sex education and HIV testing, we need to continue ensuring that HIV services, treatment and prevention tools remain both accessible and affordable for all. AfA’s vision is to achieve Zero new infections, Zero deaths, and Zero stigma and discrimination in Singapore and we are committed in our effort to make this a reality in the not too distant future.
Professor Roy Chan
President, Action for AIDS Singapore
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