National HIV programme testing recommendations

Abstract

In recognition of the morbidity and mortality associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (UNAIDS) aims to end the epidemic by setting and striving to achieve the ambitious 95-95-95 targets. However, Singapore is still not performing well in the first UNAIDS target. The National HIV Programme (NHIVP) developed this set of recommendations based on an adaptation of major international guidelines from the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The goals of this recommendation are: (1) to increase the uptake of HIV testing; (2) to allow earlier detection and identification of individuals with unrecognised HIV infection; (3) to facilitate linkage to clinical services; and (4) reduce further transmission of HIV infection in Singapore.

Keywords: HIV; HIV testing; recommendations.

Figure 1

HIV testing algorithm. *Examples of qualitative HIV-1 NAAT tests include cobas^® HIV-1/HIV-2 Qualitative (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.) and Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Qualitative (Abbott Molecular Inc.). NAAT: nucleic acid amplification test.