were allayed yesterday.

Sen. Jerome Dill (UBP) mentioned he had heard people expressing that fear after he introduced the Public Health Amendment Act 1993 because it requires doctors, on discovering a patient has AIDS, to inform them orally and in writing.

The information is then kept in confidential files. Police can then prove if the patient breaks the new law which rules it an offence to sexually assault someone when the attacker knowingly has AIDS.

But fears had been expressed that the information about people with AIDS could be made public.

"I would disagree. Nobody knows if anyone in this room is suffering from hypertension, or how many of us have gall bladders or have had our tonsils removed,' said Sen. Dill.

"Doctors have been, if not since time immemorial, for a long time keeping confidential records and this will be no different from any other confidential record.''