Premarital AIDS and Hepatitis Tests Become Mandatory

9 January 2008 -- Engaged Saudi couples who are about to marry will have to undergo extra premarital medical tests this year. AIDS and Hepatitis B and C will join the other mandatory medical tests that are already required in order to continue issuing marriage certificates.
Premarital medical tests were previously done to test genetic compatibility including blood genetic diseases that are spread in Saudi Arabia.

The test will be available in health care centers that offer pre-marital medical tests starting first of Muharram. AIDS test was previously obligatory on foreign men who want to marry in Saudi Arabia.

AIDS is transmitted by blood and sexual intercourse. Hepatitis is an infectious disease that is easier to contract than AIDS transmitted by blood and body fluids. Early diagnosis of the disease saves more than $5,000 spent on every patient.