Action for AIDS Singapore (AfA Singapore)

HIV SELF-TESTING KITS – WHAT TO KNOW   It’s getting more convenient to get HIV self-test kits as they are available in more places in Singapore. HIV self-testing kits are:   -         Easy to use, each kit comes with instructions -         Oral (mouth) swabs to detect HIV antibodies within oral fluids -         Painless, with no drawing of blood required -         Trusted by healthcare professionals -         Can be used minimally 45 days after last exposure   While there’s more in-depth instructions, the quick summary on how to use them is in three steps:   1.     Swab gums 2.     Insert swab into Development Vial (included in the kit) 3.     Wait 20 minutes for results   For negative results: If one had a recent high-risk exposure, test again 90 days after exposure. If no recent exposure, continue maintaining regular testing regime.   For positive results: AfA’s ATS & MTS are available for a free, anonymous confirmatory test, and we will assist with linkage to care for confirmed cases. If more assistance is required, call our hotline at 6254 0212.   WHERE TO GET SELF-TESTING KITS   Our ATS & MTS sells them at their locations. We also do deliveries through our online shop: donate.afa.org.sg   They are also available at NSC’s pharmacy as well as selected retail outlets. For a full list of locations, you can search at HIVTestGoWhere: https://lnkd.in/gYUKPR7f   1) Anonymous Testing Service (ATS) ATS is at DSC Clinic (31 Kelantan Lane, Singapore 200031) Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 6.30–8.30pm Saturdays, 1.30–3.30pm (except eve of Public Holiday & Public Holiday) 2) Mobile Testing Service (MTS) Please visit our website at afa.org.sg/mts or join our Telegram channel (Link in bio) for MTS’ operational dates and locations. #anonymousHIVtesting #HIVtest #HIVSelfTesting

Happy #ValentinesDay! Love (and making love 😏) is in the air! Whether you are single, attached, or taking things casually, here are sexual health tips that are useful! GET TESTED The only way to know whether you your HIV status is through HIV screening. Knowing your HIV status builds trust and allows you to take intimacy to the next level. Schedule a HIV/STI test today. Better yet, get tested together with your partner, they could find it a quirky date idea! COMMUNICATION IS KEY Authentic love is allowing open discussions about desires, boundaries, & expectations regarding intimacy. Share your comfort levels, preferences, & concerns honestly and respectfully. Effective communication ensures that all parties are comfortable & consenting, reducing misunderstandings & discomfort during intimacy. BOUNDARIES It’s alright to set certain expectations with your sexual partners, such as requiring condoms, PrEP, or even avoiding certain activities if you aren’t ready yet. Good partners respect boundaries. Prioritising each other’s safety is loving. And there’s plenty of ways to show love safely! Respect goes both ways. If your partner is uncomfortable about certain intimate activities, don’t pressure them! POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS = POSSIBLE with U=U People living with HIV aren't excluded from romance & sexual intimacy. In fact, knowing their HIV status allows them to protect themselves & their loved ones through medication which helps them achieve undetectable viral load. Being undetectable means they cannot sexually transmit HIV to others. This is known as UNDETECTABLE = UNTRANSMITTABLE or U=U. With treatment, serodiscordant relationships can live without fear. They can even do family-planning and safely conceive children without transmitting HIV. KNOW & LOVE YOURSELF A famous queen once said, “If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” Love yourself by taking charge of your own health. Besides clinical testing, HIV oral self-test kits are available for sale at AfA's ATS/MTS and at selected pharmacies. You can get tested in the comfort and privacy of your own home... though that’s not the only way you can practice self-love there 😏

Once again, AfA Singapore has been invited to be part of the University Health Fair by Public Health Service of NUS! Our Mobile Testing Service (MTS) will be providing FREE anonymous HIV testing for anyone at the fair! It will operate on Tuesday & Wednesday, 4 & 5 Feb 2025, 11:00am - 2:00pm, at the driveway (drop-off point) of the library building entrance. We also have a fair booth inside the library. Come and find out more about our mission and maybe grab a freebie or two! Location: NUS Medicine+Science Library (Short walk from Kent Ridge MRT) 11 Lower Kent Ridge Rd S’pore 119083 #hivtesting #hivawareness #singapore #hiv #hivaids #health #publichealth #sexualhealth #NUS #nationaluniversityofsingapore #nuh #nationaluniversityhospital

🍊🏮🧧 蛇年吉祥！🧧🏮🍊 AfA Singapore wishes you an auspicious Lunar New Year! A friendly reminder: Our Anonymous Testing Service (ATS) is closed for today (29/1/2025). ATS will resume on Saturday (01/02/2025).

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 20 JANUARY 2025 Got a bold idea to tackle HIV stigma? We want to hear it! The NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, in collaboration with the National Centre for Infectious Diseases and National University Health System, is seeking fresh strategies to combat HIV-related stigma. Submit a 500-word proposal that describes your innovation or idea and stand to win up to SGD 1000! Selected finalists will also be invited to participate in a one-day designathon held in the first quarter of 2025, where you could take your ideas one step further into an actual intervention. For more details, visit https://lnkd.in/g422KbnR . If you have any further questions, contact Wen Zhi at wenzhi@nus.edu.sg.

Gonorrhoea & chlamydia tests are now back at our Anonymous Testing Service (ATS) @ 31 Kelantan Lane! Gonorrhoea & chlamydia are common bacterial STIs that frequently show no symptoms. Regular testing and treatment is important for sexual health. - Urine & rectal tests available - $65 per test - Results in 2 weeks IMPORTANT: Due to MOH regulations, gonorrhoea & chlamydia tests are NOT anonymous. Clients will be registered as DSC Clinic patients. All information will be kept strictly confidential. ATS operating hours: Tuesdays & Wednesdays 6:30-8:30pm Saturdays 1:30-3:30pm (except Public Holidays & eves of Public Holidays) Book a slot up to two months in advance at testing.afa.org.sg to speed up your visit. Walk-ins are also accepted. Gonorrhoea & chlamydia tests are not available at Mobile Testing Service. P.S. If you know why we featured a koala in our post, tell us in the comments! 🐨

In March 2024, the Parliament of Singapore passed an amendment to Section 23(1) of the Infectious Disease Act (IDA). This amendment means that people living with HIV who have undetectable viral loads are no longer legally required to disclose their HIV status to their sexual partners. Here’s an explanation. First, it’s important to know what is UNDETECTABLE VIRAL LOAD. People living with HIV can undergo Antiretroviral Treatment (ART), which is daily medication that lowers the level of HIV (aka viral load) in their person’s blood. Eventually, it will reach an amount so low that tests cannot measure it. This is known as having undetectable viral load. At this stage, HIV cannot be sexually transmitted. This is also known as UNDETECTABLE = UNTRANSMITTABLE, or U=U. In a parliamentary speech, it was clarified that: “Persons living with HIV do not need to disclose the risk of HIV transmission to their sexual partners if they have, first, maintained stable undetectable HIV viral load consistently below 200 copies per millilitre of blood, for at least six months, based on test results from a recognised laboratory. Second, their most recent undetectable viral load test result should be nine months or less before the sexual activity in question. Third, they had adhered to medical treatment for HIV infection up to the time of the sexual activity in question. Persons living with HIV who have met these criteria would have effectively zero risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partner.” To summarise, they must meet these criteria at the point of sexual activity: 1. Be adhering to ART 2. Most recent UVL test result is not more than 9 months ago 3. Preceding UVL test result must be at least 6 months before the most recent result. According to the IDA, “sexual activity” means: sexual activity occasioned by the introduction into the vagina, anus or mouth of any person of any part of the penis of another person; or cunnilingus.   But isn’t disclosure still important? Shouldn’t we be encouraging open, honest communication around sexual health?   Absolutely! However, people should decide when, how, and to whom they disclose their status, instead of being forced to do so by others or by institutional policies.   Reducing stigma and ignorance helps create an environment where people feel safe and empowered to share their status. Remember, sexual health is a shared responsibility! HIV prevention does not fall solely on people living with HIV. Condoms, PrEP, & PEP are effective ways to protect yourself from HIV, especially if you don’t know the status of your sexual partner. Remember, HIV is not the only risk when it comes to sex! Go for regular HIV & STI screening for earlier detection and treatment. Parliamentary quote source: https://lnkd.in/garcbi-W

🎆 HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎆 We made it through another year, and we couldn't have done it without your support! Best wishes for blessed and fruitful year ahead, from all of us at AfA Singapore. 🎈

Still have some unspent CDC vouchers from 2024? Please consider donating them to AfA Singapore and help support a good cause! It's 3 easy steps: 1. Go to bit.ly/AfA-CDC (link in bio). 2. Login via Singpass. You will be brought to a gov.sg online form with AfA Singapore pre-selected under the "Preferred Charity" section. 3. Confirm your form choices and press submit. Just like that, your unused CDC vouchers can contribute to our mission to achieve zero new HIV transmissions, zero deaths, and zero stigma & discrimination! For more information on donating 2024 CDC vouchers, or to manually donate them to AfA Singapore, visit https://lnkd.in/gY9GsEZE Remember, 2024 CDC vouchers have to be donated by 31st January 2025. Thank you for your support!

🦌 Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings from all of us at AfA! May your holiday season be filled with joy, peace, and hope. 🎄🎅⛄❄️🔔🎁 Reminder that the Anonymous Testing Service is closed for the public holiday, and will resume this coming Saturday. 🦌