Singapore legislation
Regulation 8
Regulation 8
Examination of suspected drug addicts and inmates for infectious diseases
Subregulation 1
The Commissioner of Prisons or the person appointed under section 36(1)(b) of the Act may, at any time, require any suspected drug addict or inmate of an approved institution to undergo a medical examination by a medical officer for the purpose of ascertaining whether the suspected drug addict or inmate is suffering from, or is a carrier of, any infectious disease.
Subregulation 2
Where a suspected drug addict or an inmate refuses to undergo the medical examination mentioned in paragraph (1) or refuses to provide any sample necessary for the purpose of such examination, the medical officer conducting the medical examination must immediately give a written notification to the Superintendent of the approved institution.
Subregulation 3
The Superintendent of the approved institution may, upon receiving the written notification mentioned in paragraph (2), direct —
that the suspected drug addict be separated from other suspected drug addicts and inmates until such time when the suspected drug addict undergoes the medical examination mentioned in paragraph (1); or
that the inmate be separated from other suspected drug addicts and inmates until such time when the inmate undergoes the medical examination mentioned in paragraph (1).
Subregulation 4
Where a suspected drug addict or an inmate of an approved institution has been ascertained to be suffering from, or is a carrier of, any infectious disease under this regulation, the medical officer must immediately give a written report to the Superintendent of the approved institution.
Subregulation 5
The Superintendent of the approved institution must, upon receiving the written report mentioned in paragraph (4), direct —
that the suspected drug addict be separated from other suspected drug addicts and inmates until a medical officer certifies that the suspected drug addict is free from infection or the risk of spreading the infectious disease to other persons is eliminated; or
that the inmate be separated from other suspected drug addicts and inmates until a medical officer certifies that the inmate is free from infection or the risk of spreading the infectious disease to other persons is eliminated.
Subregulation 6
In this regulation, “infectious disease” means any of the diseases specified in the First Schedule to the Infectious Diseases Act 1976 and includes any other disease —
that is caused or is suspected to be caused by a micro-organism or any agent of disease;
that is capable or is suspected to be capable of transmission by any means to human beings; and
that the medical officer has reason to believe, if left uninvestigated or unchecked, is likely to result in an epidemic of the disease.