Milestones of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Preventative Health Service at FEMH

1. The Far Eastern Memorial Hospital became one of the Department of Health of Taiwan＇s

specially designated medical centers entrusted with providing healthcare service for patients

with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or Acquired Immunodeficiency

Syndrome (AIDS) on 5th February 2009.

2. The Far Eastern Memorial Hospital provided pro bono HIV screening and consultation service

during the HIV Awareness Week as part of Taiwan’s Center for Disease Control’s (CDC)

Awareness Promotion program during 27th November 2009 to 4th December 2009.

3. Since 1st January 2010, we have actively joined the Center for Disease Control AIDS case

management plan by providing a specially trained case manager who is readily available for

health education and free consulting services. Through the program’s promotion of self-health

management, safe sex practice, and adherence with pharmacotherapy, the aim is to curb the

spread of HIV infection and disease.

4. Since January 2010, we are formally contracted by the Taipei Prison, to provide an in-house

comprehensive visiting service to their HIV-infected inmates on the 1st Thursday of each

month. The visiting team comprises an infectious diseases doctor and case manager, who offer

the same consultation, healthcare, education, blood testing services provided at the hospital.

5. From 2010, we have continually promoted awareness and education by giving targeted lectures

at meetings hosted by the New Taipei Medical Association, the Nursing Association, and the

AIDS Prevention School Campus Network.

6. Since January 2011, we are formally contracted by the Taipei Youth Detention Center, to

provide an in-house comprehensive visiting service as above on the 1st Friday of each month.

7. We have provided an anonymous sexually transmitted disease voluntary screening clinic as

part of the CDC＇s program since 2011.

8. From 2011, we have established a multidisciplinary support group for HIV infected patients

and their friends and families involving doctors, case managers, public health officers and

social care workers. The meetings tackle stigma, improve the patients＇self-image, spiritual

wellbeing and overall quality of life, as well as widen their supportive network so that their

good behavior and medication adherence is ensured.

9. In addition to providing regular healthcare and disease monitoring among those infected with

HIV to prevent disease, we also aim to prevent the acquisition of HIV infection. Since 1st

March 2011,we offerred a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year self-imbursement access to

preventative anti-HIV drugs to prevent the establishment of infection in those with

non-occupational exposure (e.g. through unprotected sex or needle sharing) in corporation with

the New Taipei Health Bureau.

Guidelines for Post‐Exposure (Risky Behavior) Prevention of HIV

infection

Treatment must be started before infection becomes established, optimally within 48 hours and no

later than 72 hours after exposure.

1. Treatment comprises a 28 day medication course which must be completed to ensure

effectiveness.

2. Questions regarding risk and preventative medication can be addressed by visiting infectious disease clinic.

3. After taking preventative medication, you will need to have blood tests taken on the 6th week,

3rd and 6th month. Follow-up is critical.

4. The medication costs are entirely self-imbursed and not covered by the national health

insurance.

Medication to prevent HIV infection can significantly decrease the risk of becoming permanently

infected with HIV, but no drug therapy is 100%, hence the best prevention is through behavior, by

avoiding putting yourself and others at high risk of being infected. Preventing infected sexual

secretions or blood contaminating your own blood (e.g. through the use of condoms, not sharing

needles) is the most fool-proof way of preventing HIV infection.

Anonymous Screening Service For Sexually Transmitted Diseases

(STDs) Program

Aim: Prevent STDs, refuse recreational drug abuse, HIV prevention

Implementation: For screening for HIV and other sexually transmitted disease among high risk

uninfected or naïve infected individuals. The service provides pre-test counseling, post-test

counseling, test interpretation and referral advice. The service is telephone appointment based.

There is a preliminary screen for appropriateness and suitability for testing, for example, we would

suggest an interval of three months between testing and to avoid testing within the “window

period＂.