HIV self-testing gives patients the power to check their own status
FOURWAYS GARDENS – Witkoppen Clinic has had great success in the battle against HIV after about 3 500 self-testing kits were distributed recently.
It’s important to know your HIV status. An estimated one in five South Africans with HIV are unaware of their status. In support of the government’s goal to create easier access to testing, non-profit organisation Witkoppen Clinic, in partnership with the Unjani Clinics Network and the Johannesburg North GP Network, has distributed more than 3 500 HIV self-screening kits to patients.
“The project has been a huge success,” said executive director of the clinic, Dr Jean Bassett.
“In the past two months, we’ve seen a 100 per cent initiation onto antiretroviral (ART) treatment for patients who have screened positive using the self-screening kits.”
Although some patients are comfortable with testing at a health facility, others are not. The kits, which are free to patients, allow for HIV screening in the privacy of their home. “People test for different reasons and we must find innovative solutions to accommodate them. The self-screening kits are an effective way of addressing issues of access, stigma and confidentiality that are often barriers to testing,” said Bassett.
Self-screening is when a person collects their own blood or oral fluid performs a rapid diagnostic test and interprets the result themselves. With a 99.7 per cent accuracy rate, the test takes a maximum of 15 minutes to determine a result. “If your result is positive, you will be required to see a counsellor take a confirmatory test,” said Bassett.
“This ensures that your test result is correct. If positive, you will be initiated onto ART treatment as soon as possible.”
The project is funded by the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, a division of the Wits Health Consortium, which forms part of a Unitaid-funded HIV self-testing Africa initiative focused on distributing alternative testing methods around the continent.
“We’ve had a positive response from members of the community, with many asking to take kits home to loved ones who are reluctant to go to a clinic for testing.
“While we are not offering this currently, we are looking at how we can reach more people who need this service.”
Access to HIV testing is an important factor in reaching the United Nations’ 90-90-90 goal – by the year 2020, 90 per cent of people with HIV must know their status, 90 per cent of people with HIV must be on antiretroviral treatment, and 90 per cent of people on treatment must be virally supressed.
Two years ago, the World Health Organisation published guidelines recommending that self-screening be included in countries’ existing testing services. So far, 59 countries have implemented HIV self-screening policies and 53 others are still in the process of developing policies.
Witkoppen Centre provides a range of other healthcare services, including HIV and TB testing, a mental health clinic, dentist, as well as the opportunity to consult qualified doctors, nurses, psychologists and pharmacists.
Details: www.witkoppen.org; Facebook @WitkoppenClinic; Twitter @Witkoppen105.
Related Article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/fourways-review/314630/next-generation-hiv-prevention-drug-gets-fda-approval/
