|
Voluntary
Counseling and Testing (VCT) is the process by which an
individual undergoes confidential counseling to learn about
his/her HIV status and to exercise informed choices in testing
for HIV followed by further appropriate action. A key underlying
principle of the VCT intervention is the voluntary
participation. HIV counseling and testing are initiated by the
client’s free will. Counseling in VCT consists of pre-test and
post-test counseling. During pre-test counseling, the counselor
provides to the individual / couple an opportunity to explore
and analyze their situation and consider being tested for HIV.
It facilitates more informed decisions about HIV testing. After
the individual / couple has received accurate and complete
information they reach an understanding about all that is
involved. In the event that, after counseling, the individual
decides to take the HIV test, VCT enables confidential HIV
testing after the client has given a written inform consent.
The
HIV test result is divulged to the client during post-test
counseling which further reinforces the understanding and coping
of the test results and serves as an
entry point to the ‘continuum of care in HIV/ AIDS’
for a client with a positive test results.
Follow-up
counseling addresses all further concern that clients may have.
VCT
facilitates the early and appropriate uptake of services for
both HIV positive and HIV negative people. Accordingly, linkages
to a range of other services
(medical & non medical) enable the ‘client’, with
the help of a trained counselor, to confidentially explore and
understand his or her risk of HIV infection, and to learn
several strategies for preventing HIV and reducing the risk of
acquiring or transmitting HIV infection.
HIV
testing carried out on a voluntary basis with appropriate
pre-test and post-test counseling isconsidered to be a better
strategy and is in line with the WHO guidelines on HIV testing.
The basis and objectives of testing are to :
- test
blood or organs or tissue for ensuring safety of the
recipients.
- monitor
the trend of HIV infection in a population or subgroup for
facilitation of intervention using unlinked anonymous
testing.
- identify
an individual with HIV infection for diagnosing or voluntary
testing purposes.
POLICY
ON HIV TESTING
TRANSFUSION
SAFETY
A
single Elisa test is sufficient to ensure transfusion safety.
The objective of the transfusion safety does not require
identification of donor of the infected unit of blood. These
test strategy gives more than 99.9% surety that blood found
negative is actually free of infection.
SURVEILLANCE
The
objective of surveillance is best achieved by annual cross
sectional survey of same risk group
in
the same place over few years by unlinked anonymous testing,
following test procedures by 2
ERS (Elisa/Rapid/Simple). The main purpose of the survey is to
monitor the trend of infection of HIV. Unlinked anonymous tests
are only possible if blood is drawn for some other purpose and a
portion of that is tested for HIV without identification data.
IDENTIFICATION
OF HIV POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS
This
testing procedure must offer pre and post test counselling of
the client and involve written consent . The result of the test
must be kept confidential and even health care workers who are
not directly involved in care of the patient should not be told
about the result. The testing is done
with 3 ERS using HIV kits with different antigens.
Govt.
of India has earlier issued a comprehensive HIV testing policy
and the following issues are reiterated here:-
- No
individual should be made to undergo a mandatory testing for
HIV.
- No
mandatory HIV testing should be imposed as a precondition
for employment or for providing health care facilities
during employment.
- Adequate
voluntary testing facilities with pre tests and post test
counselling are available throughout the country in public
health hospitals. There should be at least one HIV testing
centre in each district in the country for voluntary testing
in the Governmental sector.
|
