HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign
The Metropolitan Foundation fully endorses the government's new HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign that aims to test a total of 15 million at-risk people throughout South Africa by the end of June 2011. Expanding access to HIV counselling and testing is seen as a critical gateway to HIV prevention as well as providing appropriate treatment and care for people who are already infected.
With the introduction of new guidelines in February 2010 the government's policy on voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) has been expanded to include provider-initiated HCT. Previously, healthcare workers recommended testing only if HIV disease was suspected. Now regular HIV testing, while still voluntary, is to be routinely recommended to everyone as an important part of normal health-seeking behaviour.
The objectives of the campaign are as follows:
- Mobilise people to know their status
- Provide key prevention messaging to encourage healthy lifestyle practices irrespective of HIV status
- Increase incidence of health-seeking behaviour
- Increase the access to treatment, care and support
View the full campaign strategy organised by SANAC |
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