Building and finding a positive community
Having supportive people around you can make a world of difference.
No matter where you are on the HIV journey (newly diagnosed or have been living with HIV for awhile), there are a few support groups in Singapore that you can reach out to:
Action for AIDS
NCID Cares
HIV programme in NUH
1. Action for AIDS
The Action for AIDS Support Group, Revive, provides emotional and financial support for the newly diagnosed or people living with HIV who need to take a journey as a community.
Through peer support, this support group hopes to help people living with HIV to overcome the initial difficult stages of coping with a diagnosis and help make lifestyle adjustments to live a full and healthy life.
To learn more about Revive and sign up, you can check out this page.
2. NCID Cares
NCID Cares is a community space on Level 1 of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. It has a creative zone for patient volunteers to do their handicraft, a large dining area, and a recreation zone (Great Minds) for volunteer-facilitated activities, training, and programme events.
There are several programmes under NCID:
HIV orientation programme (HOP) - A peer-led support group for people who are newly diagnosed with HIV
Women's support group - A support group for female patients living with HIV
Agape support group - A support group for male patients living with HIV
Volunteer training programme - Annual training camp for caregivers
To participate, please email ncidcares@ncid.sg or call 6357 7949.
HIV orientation programme (HOP)
HOP is a peer-led support group for people who are newly diagnosed with HIV. The program enhances their knowledge on HIV, provides mutual emotional support, and facilitates mutual sharing on issues related to HIV.
The program empowers people living with HIV by increasing their support network and ability to live with HIV.
Agape support group
The Agape support group is a peer support program for mutual support among men living with HIV through workshops or meaningful structured activities. Participants can learn new skills or knowledge for self-development and enhance their quality of life.
The support group provides a safe avenue for men living with HIV to improve their acceptance of the diagnosis and a safe avenue to meet other men with HIV to share experiences for mutual support.
Women's support group
The women's support group encourages female patients living with HIV to engage in social activities facilitated by medical social workers.
It helps relieve the stigma and isolation experienced by women living with HIV through mutual support, group sharing, and social activities. The support group also reaches out to women who are newly diagnosed with HIV.
Red Ribbon Project
The Red Ribbon Project aims to rebuild the confidence and self-esteem of people living with HIV and help them integrate into society. The project focuses on handicraft work as a part of diversional therapy.
It provides social support to people living with HIV and helps equip them with life skills through interacting with others from various cultures and walks of life.
Joining this program is done via referral by medical social workers. Those who are enrolled receive a monthly stipend that helps cover the time spent in the centre.
Nutritional programme
This nutritional programme provides basic food items (e.g. rice, cooking oil, canned food, instant noodles, dietary milk) for lower-income people living with HIV. This ensures that their basic nutritional needs are taken care of through monthly food rations.
Those who are enrolled in the program are referred by medical social workers. The program also offers free lunch (Mon-Fri) to inpatient and outpatient as well as volunteers of the Red Ribbon Project.
Medication subsidies
Financial subsidies are given to defray the cost of long-term medication for HIV and hepatitis C beyond the scope of public funding.
This program also subsidises expensive, non-standard, non-HIV medications and blood tests like HIV viral load and genotypic resistance to determine the effectiveness of the HIV medications.
Volunteer training programme
The annual volunteer training programme equips new volunteers with theoretical and practical knowledge in caring for people living with HIV.
In addition to professional staff, peer leaders are also trained under this program to expand their knowledge on HIV-related issues to help others living with HIV.
3. HIV programme in NUH
The HIV Programme in the National University Hospital (NUH) provides both outpatient and inpatient services.
Outpatient services are provided through the Multidisciplinary Infectious Diseases Clinic (MIDC) to any person living with HIV or AIDS who wishes to receive care at NUH.
The MIDC is held twice weekly. The clinic is staffed using a rotating roster of Infectious Diseases (ID) consultants and registrars, as well as ID Nurses, Medical Social Workers and Pharmacists.
Outpatient services
The outpatient services provided by the MID team are:
Medical management of HIV and its complications
Anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment
opportunistic infections therapy plus prevention, including nebulised pentamidine
Free partner testing
HIV counselling services for patients and their families
Disclosure support
Financial support
Adherence and medication counselling
Mental health care and support
Supportive counselling
Referrals to the MIDC are made via NUH inpatient setting, non-NUH providers (DSC clinic, Action for AIDS, general practitioners (GPs), polyclinics), or self-referral. To make a referral, please refer to the contact details below:
Tel No.: 6772 8686
Email: umcapptline@nuhs.edu.sg
Inpatient services
The MID Team also follows individuals as inpatient should a patient require admission to NUH. Inpatient services are provided to all people living with HIV or AIDS admitted to NUH including:
Patients already in follow-up at MIDC
Newly-diagnosed patients
People known to have HIV but on follow-up elsewhere
Inpatient services provided include:
Medical consultation/management
Anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment
Nursing assessment
HIV counselling services for patients and their families
Disclosure support
Financial support
Adherence and medication counselling
Mental health care and support
Supportive counselling
Found this useful? There’s more!
This is a part of our series for people older than their 50s living with HIV. In the series, we show you how to take care of your body, mind and health.
Other resources
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