Archive of "Four screened as Aids clinic opens", The Straits Times, 26 April 1985

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Four screened as Aids clinic opens

By STELLA DANKER

THE Aids Screening Clinic at Middle Road Hospital started work yesterday and four men were screened for the disease.

Dr K V. Ratnam, *he immunologist at the hospital, who discovered Singapore's first three cases of people with the Aids virus said yesterday that since the announcement of the three victims, more than 50 men had been to the hospital worried that they may have the virus.

He said "Because of the publicity and education through the media in exposing the three cases a lot more people have come forward and can now be diagnosed ”

But he added that “a lot of them have a guilt

DR RATNAM

more have come forward because of publicity

complex more than anything else.’4 For example, one of the men who had been to the clinic had intercourse with a male homosexual about 10 years ago The clinic would screen people (mainly from the hign-risk groups) every Thursday from 8 30 am to 12 30 pm and follow up on those with Aids and counsel them Dr Ratnam, who was speaking at the Rotary Club of Marina City luncheon, said that studies of cases in the United Stares had shown that between 60 and 70 per cent of people with the virus were “healthy carriers".

About 10 to 90 per e'en! had non-clinical Aids and only 5 to 10 per cent would have tnc “fullblown symptoms which will show itself within two years ’4 Of the three people who have the Aids vims in Singapore. Dr Ratnam said that two of them had non-clinicai Aids and one was a healthy carrier.

W« cannot lock them up’

But anyone with the virus, whether as a healthy carrier, nun-clinical or clinical Aids vie tim. would be spreading it through sexual intercourse.

He added “We cannot lock them up But what we can do is to advise them to use condoms if they want to have sex Though it is still being studied whether using condoms would prevent the virus spreading. 1 think the chances are slim.44

They would also he advised not to donate blood Dr Ratnam added “Aids used to be known as the gay plague It’s now no more so “

Of the 7.886 cases of Aids reported in the US between June 1, 1980 and Jan 21 this year, 465 vie tims were not homosex uals, bisexuals, haemophiliacs, intravenous drug abusers or Haitian immigrants The study showed that 66 per cent of the 465 vic tims had no identified risk The others contract cd the virus through

How 465 people (not from ttie high-risk groups*) got Aids in ‘Homosexual*, intravenous drug abusers, haemophiliacs. Haitian immigrants Blood transfusion 21% heterosexual contact 113 ner cent) and blood transfusion (21 per cent • In the ITS. Aids has been more or less linked with four “high risk groups These* are known as the “four Hs4’: homosexual men. heroin addicts land other in travenous drug abusers» haemophiliacs and »-ecem Haitian immigrants Dr Ratnam said the Aids Screening Clinic would he collating data on the prev alence of the Aids virus in Singapore

Health workers reassured over fear of infection

WASHINGTON. Thurs -Thousands of American health care workers deal with Aids victims daily and not one has shown evidence of infection even after being exposed to the victims’ blood and mucous. United States Health Secretary, Mrs Margaret Heckler, said yesterday Referring to the inter national seminar on Aids held last week in Atlanta. Georgia, Mrs Heckler said many newspaper headlines had centred on the exponential increase in the number of Aids (acquired immune deficiency syndrome! cases over the past four years On a world wide basis.

By LIAK TfTNG KIAT

Washington Correspondent

only one rase had been detected among medical workers and other factors may have been involved she told a medical seminar hen*

Mrs Heckler further stressed that no more than one per rent of Aids cases diagnosed so far in the US had heterosexua* contact as their main nsk factor

Of the “remaining few 4 other victims who had got Aids through heterosexual contact, the evidence was that they had had a very large number of sexual partners often prost* lutes, she said Mrs Heckler who said a year ago that a vaccine against Aids was only two years away, was less san gutne yesterday Scientists had since con eluded that development of the vaccine would he more difficult than they first thought she said.

High-risk groups

At the same time she said there was also good news, and that was “the more we learn about Aids, the clearer It becomes that Aids is not easily transmitted to those out side the high risk groups 44 The high-risk groups in elude homosexual or bisexual men. intravenous drug users haemophiliacs and recipients of Aids-tn fee ted blood transfusions The US. she said, plan ned to work c loea*ly with the* World Health Otgani sat ion to improve methods of detecting Aids world wide

=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=
 * Stella Danker, "Four screened as Aids clinic opens", The Straits Times, 26 April 1985[].

=Acknowledgements=

This article was archived by Roy Tan.