Archive of "Tight lid on Aids problem here, says doctor", The Straits Times, 9 December 1984

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Tight lid on Aids problem here, says doctor

SINGAPORE has a tight lid on the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Aids) problem, a doctor said on Friday.

Unlike Western countries, said Dr K. V. Ratnam, who is the registrar at the Middle Road Hospital. Singapore has some Aids-linked factors, such as drug abuse and homosexuality. under control.

Speaking on Aids and Homosexuality at a Rotary Gub of Singapore East gathering. Dr Ratnam said the number of homosexuals in Singapore is small compared with the United States.

The 120 homosexual male prostitutes here are given blood and skin tests and thorough check-ups regularly.

Homosexuals risk getting Aids because some of them practise extreme sexual acts.

Prolonged exposure and close contact help to spread the disease, he said.

Aids, which breaks down the body’s immunity system and normally causes death, can be transmitted through blood transfusion.

But Singapore's blood donation system is another defence against Aids.

Singapore depends on voluntary blood donations, which allows donors to be screened.

Drug abusers are in a high-risk group because drugs further depress the body's immunity system. But there are very few hard drugs on the streets here, Dr Ratnam added. Screening

=See also=
 * Archive of "Three in S’pore found with Aids-linked virus", The Straits Times, 10 April 1985
 * Archive of "Aids virus: Doctor who 'found it'", The Sunday Times, 14 April 1985
 * Archive of "A chance to be ahead in medicine", The Singapore Monitor, 16 April 1985
 * Archive of "Aids on ‘must report’ list", The Straits Times, 17 April 1985
 * Archive of "Undergrads to be taught about Aids", The Straits Times, 21 April 1885
 * Archive of "16 more may be carriers of Aids virus", The Straits Times, 30 April 1985
 * Archive of "Aids doctor thanks mum", The Straits Times, 12 May 1985
 * Archive of "Special lab to do Aids tests soon", The Straits Times, 18 May 1985
 * Archive of "Man with Aids related virus in hospital", The Straits Times, 21 July 1985
 * Archive of "Aids carrier leaves hospital", The Straits Times, 28 July 1985
 * Archive of "Ministry steps up Aids drive", The Straits Times, 5 September 1985
 * Archive of "Singapore ‘first in the world’ to have 100 % screening of donor blood", The Straits Times, 11 September 1985
 * Archive of "S’pore-Stanford research tie-up bid", The Straits Times, 10 October 1985
 * Archive of "Aids: 20,000 cleared", The Straits Times, 29 November 1985
 * Archive of "200 turn up for first public medical convention", The Straits Times, 28 April 1986
 * Archive of "Screening tests likely to uncover more Aids carriers", The Straits Times, 1 May 1986
 * Archive of "100 people could be Aids carriers here: Expert", The Straits Times, 3 August 1986
 * Archive of "Aids claims first victim here", The Straits Times, 11 April 1987
 * Archive of "Fear of Aids pushes up condom sales", The Straits Times, 19 April 1987
 * Archive of "Govt dental clinics phasing out boiling", The Straits Times, 1 October 1987
 * Earliest cases of HIV/AIDS in Singapore
 * HIV/AIDS in Singapore's LGBT community
 * Paddy Chew
 * Avin Tan
 * Ajmal Khan
 * Calvin Tan
 * Adrian Tyler

=References=
 * "Tight lid on Aids problem here, says doctor", The Straits Times, 9 December 1984[].

=Acknowledgements=

This article was archived by Roy Tan.