KUCHING, Dec 21 — The Sarawak AIDS Concern Society (SACS) is strongly objecting to any proposal by Putrajaya for non-Muslim couples to be subjected to compulsory pre-natal testing, its president Dr Yuwana Podin said today.
She said the objection is in line with the stance of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) that do not support compulsory screening of individuals for HIV.
Dr Yuwana said an individual personal’s choice must be respected while adhering to ethical and human rights principles in screening a person for HIV.
“Compulsory HIV screenings will not provide long-term solutions in addressing the increase of HIV cases in this country,” she said when responding to Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s recent proposal at the Dewan Negara session.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also the deputy prime minister, had proposed that her ministry would be discussing with other relevant ministers the proposal for non-Muslim couples to be tested for HIV.
According to Dr Wan Azizah, there was no law at present that could make it necessary for non-Muslim couples to undergo HIV testing.
Dr Yuwana said the negative results from a screening test will provide a false sense of security that a person will never get infected by HIV after the marriage.
“The risk of getting infected will still exist if one continues to be involved in high-risk activities associated with HIV transmission after the screening,” she said.
Instead of making HIV testing compulsory, Dr Yuwana said Malaysians should be encouraged to get tested on a voluntary basis complete with pre- and post-testing counselling.
However, she said SACS will continue to support the voluntary testing and counselling programme and to work closely with Ministry of Health or any other agencies as part of its commitment in battling HIV transmissions in this country.
