Should we Screen for HIV in Saudi arabia?

Abstract EN

The aim of this study is to evaluate the necessity of mandatory pre operative HIV screening in Saudi Arabia.

This can be achieved by comparison between the prevalence of HIV in two leading governmental hospitals in Saudi Arabia, where routine preoperative screening is done in one of them.

The number of screened HIV positive patients was taken from the registration records of the laboratory department of both King Abdulaziz University Hospital and King Fahd Hospital, from the period of 1 January 2007 to 1 January 2008.

The number of HIV positive cases in a period of one year at King Abdulaziz University Hospital was 15 (prevalence of 1.4%).

The total number of positive HIV patients screened in the blood bank was 13 (prevalence of 0.14%).

While in King Fahd Hospital, the total number of positive HIV cases found from preoperative screening was 76 (prevalence of 1.04%).

The total number HIV positive patients from the blood bank were 6 (prevalence of 0.089%).

The pickup rate of HIV cases is markedly higher in hospitals where routine preoperative HIV testing is conducted.

These figures raise the question; if the time has come for HIV testing to be done as a routine preoperative procedure in our hospitals?