VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING & TESTING
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VCT is an acronym for Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV. It is the process by which an individual undergoes counselling to enable him or her make an informed choice about being tested for HIV. This decision must be entirely the choice of the individual.

What is HIV Counselling?

HIV counselling is a confidential dialogue between a person and a care provider aimed at enabling the person to make personal decision related to HIV/AIDS. The dialogue includes discussions on the personal risk of HIV transmission.

What is the Counselling process?

The VCT process consists of:

Pre test counselling:
The counselor prepares you for the test by explaining what an HIV test is and also by correcting myths and misinformation.

Post test counselling:
This will help you to understand your test results. The process will support you to cope with HIV-positive or negative status.

Positive result

When your test result is positive, the counselor will tell you the result clearly and sensitively, providing emotional support and discussing how you can cope.

If the test is positive, you will be informed on how you can get medical attention to help you:

Negative result

If the test is negatve, you can learn how to saty HIV-free. The counselor discusses changes in behaviour that can help you remain negative.
You will also discuss the window period which means that you may not be truly negative and may be asked to repeat the test in three months time.

Follow-up counselling

Follow-up counselling is done after post test counselling. The counselling may deal with a crisis situation or change in personal circumstances and or consider effective referrals.

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Who can be part of the counselling?

With the consent of the client, counselling can be extended to spouse or other sexual partners and other supportive family member or trusted friends.

What is HIV testing?

Testing is the only way to know if you have HIV. The HIV test shows if you have signs (antibodies) of the virus in your blood. If the first test is positive (shows sign of HIV), the blood will be tested again. If the second test is positive, then it is confirmed that you have the virus that causes AIDS in your blood.

What is the window period?

When a person is infected with HIV, his or her immune system produces antibodies that fight the virus. Until he or she has developed enough anti bodies for the test to detect that he or she will test HIV negative.

The peroid between infection and having a positive HIV antibody test is reffered to as the "Window Period". It can take between two and six months for an infected person to have a positive test result.

What are the benefits of testing?

• You can avoid transmitting the virus to an uninfected person.
• You will be provided the opportunity to learn and accept your HIV status in confidential environment.
• You will be adequately informed on how to improve your health status.
• You will have the opportunity to cope with HIV-related anxiety.
• You will be made aware of safer options for childbearing and infant feeding if you have positive HIV status.

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