Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry plans free HIV tests at hospitals

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 14 Jun 2004 - 20:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry (Japan) will make free and anonymous HIV tests available at hospitals from fiscal 2005, ministry officials said Saturday.

The service will be offered in addition to the existing network of public health centers that offer HIV tests, according to the officials.

Alarmed by an unabating increase in the number of full-blown AIDS patients and HIV carriers in the country, the ministry wants to encourage HIV patients to receive medical treatment in the early stages of the disease. It also aims to reduce the number of areas in which blood donor facilities are used as unofficial test centers.

In 2003, the country had an all-time high 976 HIV carriers, according to the ministry. A number of AIDS patients died because of delays in detecting the disease.

Currently, public health centers provide free, anonymous HIV infection checks, but the service typically is provided only once a week in sessions lasting about two hours.

As a result, many people turn to blood donor facilities in front of railway stations or along major streets to get tests.

Owing to technical and legal restraints on the handling of patients' charts and health insurance administration, ordinary hospitals and clinics currently are unable to provide free, anonymous HIV infection tests.

Full article at The Daily Yomiuri