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"But, of course, if the kit gives a reactive result, it is strongly recommended to request a blood test from a medical service unit," said FDA Secretary General Tares Krbadanairawiwong.
In 2017, there were an estimated 440,000 people living with HIV in Thailand. Of these, about 98% were aware of their HIV status. Although Thailand is very successful in the fight against HIV / AIDS, new infections would still occur every day.
Estimates suggest that the virus strikes an average of 15 new people a day.
Apiwat Kwangkaew, chairman of the Thai Network of People Living with AIDS, said more than 200,000 people would live in Thailand without knowing they were HIV-positive.
"So we think the self-test kits will be useful to this group," he said.
Dr. Ittabad Kanacharoen, Secretary General of the Medical Council, expressed concerns about the use of a self-test kit.
"What if the users were still very young and immature?", He asked on Facebook.
He also noted that there had been cases of suicides after discovering that they had become HIV positive. "The Medical Council has issued a directive that children who are tested for HIV should receive counseling before and after testing," he said.
Ittabad always considers kits as useful. "Overall, I think the benefits of the self test kits will outweigh the potential negative impacts," Apiwat said.
However, he stressed the need to prepare measures to help those who might not be able to cope alone with their HIV status.
According to him, public awareness of AIDS and HIV is now high. Access to information on the virus and treatable disease is also widespread.
"Those who have decided to use the kits need to have a lot of information. They should know that HIV-positive people can live a normal life. In addition, they have many free phone lines for advice, "he added.
Asked about the risks faced by companies using such kits to screen HIV-positive candidates, Apiwat said that a company would be considered a violation of a person's human rights if it abused kits in this manner.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30368069
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