HIV testing is widely available in hospitals, polyclinics and private medical clinics in Singapore. Traditionally, HIV testing involves a patient's blood being drawn and sent to a laboratory for a HIV EIA screening test to be conducted. If the EIA screening test is reactive, a confirmatory Western Blot test must be done before a final diagnosis of HIV infection is made.

As of 1 Aug 2007, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is allowing HIV testing with rapid HIV test kits to be offered in medical clinics. Rapid HIV tests are screening tests that produce very quick results, in approximately 20 minutes. If carried out properly, these tests have similar accuracy rates as traditional EIA screening tests. As is true for all screening tests, a reactive rapid HIV test result must be followed by confirmatory testing before a final diagnosis of HIV infection can be made.

Rapid HIV testing can only be conducted in a medical clinic by trained clinic personnel, and only clinics which have participated in an MOH training workshop on Rapid HIV Testing are allowed to offer rapid HIV testing. For a list of these clinics which have participated in an MOH training workshop on Rapid HIV Testing, click here.

If you are interested in going for rapid HIV testing, please call the clinic of your choice before you go, to confirm that the clinic is currently offering rapid HIV testing.

Clinics which are interested to attend training on rapid HIV test kits are requested to complete the form and fax to MOH by 30 April 2009. Clinics will then be contacted with details of upcoming training workshops.