A LIVER specialist at Yangon General Hospital said that in the past five years an increasing number of couples have been getting blood tests for HIV and hepatitis B and C before marriage.

“Thanks to media such as TV, journals and magazines, more and more people are aware of the dangers of these infectious diseases and are also getting vaccinated against hepatitis B and C,” said Prof Khin Maung Win from the hospital’s Department of Hepatology.

He said as people in Myanmar learn more about health issues, most couples are adding blood tests to their list of things to do before marriage.

“This is a good sign because health educators have spent the past 10 years trying to raise awareness about health issues and urging people to change their behaviour,” he said.

A counsellor at an HIV/AIDS blood testing clinic run by an international nongovernment organisation said the number of couples getting blood tests before marriage had increased threefold in the past year alone.

“Many couple come to the clinic for blood tests because they believe it is good for both people in the relationship and it is the best way to start a new life and plan for children,” he said.