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MEN who experience irritability, fatigue, sleep disturbances and poor sexual performance can put some of the blame down to their low testosterone levels.
 However, the problem is not going away. Out of 1,000 men screened here last year, about a quarter were shown to be suffering from some degree of testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS).
An ageing population in Singapore will also exacerbate the problem of age-related TDS, which has long-term health consequences like osteoporosis and depression, said Dr Michael Wong, president of the Singapore Urological Association (SUA).
To tackle this head on, two health organisations have come together to raise awareness of TDS and other men’s sexual health problems through mobile means.
A van is making the rounds, visiting different parts of Singapore this week, inviting men to board the vehicle and fill out a free health assessment questionnaire to assess their risk of TDS and erectile dysfunction (ED).
Since its launch on Tuesday, about 100 men from the Hong Lim Park area and Jurong have already taken part in the mobile initiative.
Today, the van is making a stop at Tampines Central, and then Hougang Street 21 tomorrow. The van is open from 12pm to 2pm at each location.
If men tested are found to have symptoms of TDS or ED, they will be referred to participating clinics for further consultation with doctors. They will also be given a free testosterone blood test there, said a spokesman for the organisers.
The organisers – SUA and the Society for Men’s Health Singapore (SMHS) – have pumped in $10,000 for the screening programme, which aims to attract 200 men aged 40 and above by tomorrow.
SMHS president, Professor Peter Lim, said the outreach aims to “empower Singapore’s rapidly ageing professionals, managers, executives and businessmen to take personal responsibility for their sexual health”.
To round off the awareness week, the organisers will be holding a free public forum, conducted in English, on male sexual health issues, namely TDS, ED and sexually transmitted infections – at the Singapore Management University on Saturday from 2pm to 3.30pm.
To register for the talk, call 6425-1053 or e-mail enquiry@talksense.biz
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