S'pore may test all pregnant women for HIV

S'pore may test all pregnant women for HIV

SINGAPORE: Singapore's health ministry wants to test all pregnant
women for the HIV virus to curb a rise in AIDS cases, an official
said on Saturday.

Singapore currently tests less than 30 percent of pregnant
women for HIV, said Balaji Sadasivan, who is senior minister of
state for health.

He said he hopes to implement compulsory screening "as soon as
possible," but did not specify when.

"I am ... saddened that we did not implement a more vigorous
screening program earlier," he said at the opening of the fourth
Singapore AIDS Conference. "My ministry will work with urgency to
ensure that we minimize the chance of any new baby being born
with HIV." -- AP