Couples Screen For HIV To Marry In Terengganu

KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Terengganu will be the next state after Johor, Perlis, Kelantan and Selangor to impose a regulation which require couples to undergo screening for HIV before they can be married.
State Welfare, Health, Community Development and Women Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Rosol Wahid told the state assembly Tuesday that the regulation would be imposed to curb the HIV spread in Terengganu.
"The state government will embark on this measure soon considering many children are infected with HIV and AIDS by their own father," he said.
In response to an original question by Ramlan Ali (BN-Jabi), Rosol said as of June this year, there were 36 children suffering from HIV and six from AIDS.
He said the children were below 12 years old adding that seven of them succumbed to the diseases.
Rosol said it was for this reason too that the state government was in favour of the federal government's proposal to provide free condoms and syringes to drug addicts.