The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is Know Your Status and it brings attention to a key aspect of global fight against HIV – testing.
Knowing the HIV status is an essential entry point to HIV treatment, prevention, care and support services. It also enable individuals to make informed decision about HIV prevention options.
HIV testing services (HTS) include three major components of counselling, linkage to appropriate treatment, support care services and coordination with laboratory services to support quality assurance and the delivery of correct results.
World Health Organization (WHO) recently launched new guidelines on HIV self-testing and assisted partner notification to reinvigorate the global HIV response. The new guidelines focus on HIV self-testing, where people use oral fluid or blood-finger-pricks to discover their status in a private and convenient setting. Results are ready within 20 minutes.
In order to achieve effective and efficient HIV testing services, it is important that HTS providers adhere and streamline with WHO’s essential 5 Cs: Consent, Confidentiality, Counseling, Correct test results, and Connection/linkage to prevention, care and treatment.