Home-Based HIV Testing and Counseling in Kenya

[Guest guest]

Home-based HIV testing and counseling (HBHTC) has emerged as a promising

approach to meet the Kenyan government’s challenge—that 80 percent

of all Kenyans to know their HIV status by the end of 2013. By using

rapid tests, HIV programs are able to offer HTC services to individuals

and families within the privacy and convenience of their own homes.

Furthermore, HBHTC provides an entry point at the community level for

referrals and integration of other health messages, such as family

planning, tuberculosis screening, and malaria prevention. This case

study provides program planners, implementers, and decision makers with

examples of strategies and approaches for ensuring quality in HBHTC.

Today in Kibera and elsewhere in Kenya, home-based HTC is an emerging

approach for delivering HTC services and increases the number of people

who know their HIV status. It allows individuals, couples, and families

to learn their HIV status in their home environment. Home-based HTC

clients appreciate the convenience and privacy of testing at home. In

most cases, rapid HIV tests are used, so results are available for the

client between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on whether confirmatory

testing is required. Kenyan programs utilize HIV rapid tests to provide

same-day, real time results. In all cases, post-test counseling is

undertaken. When an HIV positive result is communicated, the HTC

provider offers appropriate linkages for prevention, care, and

treatment. For those found to be HIV-negative, efforts may be undertaken

to help them remain uninfected.

Kenya has become a regional and global pioneer in home-based HTC. The

country’s experience can provide a rich foundation for other countries

starting to implement or seeking to use home-based HTC as one part of

their national HIV response.

Read the case study on the AIDSTAR-One website:

http://www.aidstar-one.com/focus_areas/hiv_testing_and_counseling/resources/case\

_study_series/getting_in_the_door?utm_source=blog & utm_medium=social & utm_content=\

HBHTCKENYA & utm_campaign=PARTKEN

Pearson, MPH IBCLC

M & E Officer, AIDSTAR-One

Visit AIDSTAR-One http://www.aidstar-one.com

Follow AIDSTAR-One on Twitter www.twitter.com/AIDSTAROne

Like AIDSTAR-One on Facebook www.facebook.com/AIDSTAROne

[Guest guest]

Home-based HIV testing and counseling (HBHTC) has emerged as a promising

approach to meet the Kenyan government’s challenge—that 80 percent

of all Kenyans to know their HIV status by the end of 2013. By using

rapid tests, HIV programs are able to offer HTC services to individuals

and families within the privacy and convenience of their own homes.

Furthermore, HBHTC provides an entry point at the community level for

referrals and integration of other health messages, such as family

planning, tuberculosis screening, and malaria prevention. This case

study provides program planners, implementers, and decision makers with

examples of strategies and approaches for ensuring quality in HBHTC.

Today in Kibera and elsewhere in Kenya, home-based HTC is an emerging

approach for delivering HTC services and increases the number of people

who know their HIV status. It allows individuals, couples, and families

to learn their HIV status in their home environment. Home-based HTC

clients appreciate the convenience and privacy of testing at home. In

most cases, rapid HIV tests are used, so results are available for the

client between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on whether confirmatory

testing is required. Kenyan programs utilize HIV rapid tests to provide

same-day, real time results. In all cases, post-test counseling is

undertaken. When an HIV positive result is communicated, the HTC

provider offers appropriate linkages for prevention, care, and

treatment. For those found to be HIV-negative, efforts may be undertaken

to help them remain uninfected.

Kenya has become a regional and global pioneer in home-based HTC. The

country’s experience can provide a rich foundation for other countries

starting to implement or seeking to use home-based HTC as one part of

their national HIV response.

Read the case study on the AIDSTAR-One website:

http://www.aidstar-one.com/focus_areas/hiv_testing_and_counseling/resources/case\

_study_series/getting_in_the_door?utm_source=blog & utm_medium=social & utm_content=\

HBHTCKENYA & utm_campaign=PARTKEN

Pearson, MPH IBCLC

M & E Officer, AIDSTAR-One

Visit AIDSTAR-One http://www.aidstar-one.com

Follow AIDSTAR-One on Twitter www.twitter.com/AIDSTAROne

Like AIDSTAR-One on Facebook www.facebook.com/AIDSTAROne

[Guest guest]

Dear

I read your correspondence on Home-Based HIV Testing and was very impressed.

Although am in California I would like the program made available to a Meru

community in Chogoria,where a volunteer medical camp is made available monthly

to that community rural folks by health professionals from Kenyatta Hospital,

through the effort of Purity Wanja, but lacks the HIV component. Please send me

more information.

Prof M'Rithaa Njeru Kanampiu

------------------------------

On Thu, Jan 26, 2012 7:04 AM MST Pearson wrote:

>Home-based HIV testing and counseling (HBHTC) has emerged as a promising

>approach to meet the Kenyan government’s challenge—that 80 percent

>of all Kenyans to know their HIV status by the end of 2013. By using

>rapid tests, HIV programs are able to offer HTC services to individuals

>and families within the privacy and convenience of their own homes.

>Furthermore, HBHTC provides an entry point at the community level for

>referrals and integration of other health messages, such as family

>planning, tuberculosis screening, and malaria prevention. This case

>study provides program planners, implementers, and decision makers with

>examples of strategies and approaches for ensuring quality in HBHTC.

>

>Today in Kibera and elsewhere in Kenya, home-based HTC is an emerging

>approach for delivering HTC services and increases the number of people

>who know their HIV status. It allows individuals, couples, and families

>to learn their HIV status in their home environment. Home-based HTC

>clients appreciate the convenience and privacy of testing at home. In

>most cases, rapid HIV tests are used, so results are available for the

>client between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on whether confirmatory

>testing is required. Kenyan programs utilize HIV rapid tests to provide

>same-day, real time results. In all cases, post-test counseling is

>undertaken. When an HIV positive result is communicated, the HTC

>provider offers appropriate linkages for prevention, care, and

>treatment. For those found to be HIV-negative, efforts may be undertaken

>to help them remain uninfected.

>

>Kenya has become a regional and global pioneer in home-based HTC. The

>country’s experience can provide a rich foundation for other countries

>starting to implement or seeking to use home-based HTC as one part of

>their national HIV response.

>

>

>Read the case study on the AIDSTAR-One website:

>

>http://www.aidstar-one.com/focus_areas/hiv_testing_and_counseling/resources/cas\

e_study_series/getting_in_the_door?utm_source=blog & utm_medium=social & utm_content\

=HBHTCKENYA & utm_campaign=PARTKEN

>

>

>

>

>

> Pearson, MPH IBCLC

>M & E Officer, AIDSTAR-One

>Visit AIDSTAR-One http://www.aidstar-one.com

>Follow AIDSTAR-One on Twitter www.twitter.com/AIDSTAROne

>Like AIDSTAR-One on Facebook www.facebook.com/AIDSTAROne

[Guest guest]

Dear

I read your correspondence on Home-Based HIV Testing and was very impressed.

Although am in California I would like the program made available to a Meru

community in Chogoria,where a volunteer medical camp is made available monthly

to that community rural folks by health professionals from Kenyatta Hospital,

through the effort of Purity Wanja, but lacks the HIV component. Please send me

more information.

Prof M'Rithaa Njeru Kanampiu

------------------------------

On Thu, Jan 26, 2012 7:04 AM MST Pearson wrote:

>Home-based HIV testing and counseling (HBHTC) has emerged as a promising

>approach to meet the Kenyan government’s challenge—that 80 percent

>of all Kenyans to know their HIV status by the end of 2013. By using

>rapid tests, HIV programs are able to offer HTC services to individuals

>and families within the privacy and convenience of their own homes.

>Furthermore, HBHTC provides an entry point at the community level for

>referrals and integration of other health messages, such as family

>planning, tuberculosis screening, and malaria prevention. This case

>study provides program planners, implementers, and decision makers with

>examples of strategies and approaches for ensuring quality in HBHTC.

>

>Today in Kibera and elsewhere in Kenya, home-based HTC is an emerging

>approach for delivering HTC services and increases the number of people

>who know their HIV status. It allows individuals, couples, and families

>to learn their HIV status in their home environment. Home-based HTC

>clients appreciate the convenience and privacy of testing at home. In

>most cases, rapid HIV tests are used, so results are available for the

>client between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on whether confirmatory

>testing is required. Kenyan programs utilize HIV rapid tests to provide

>same-day, real time results. In all cases, post-test counseling is

>undertaken. When an HIV positive result is communicated, the HTC

>provider offers appropriate linkages for prevention, care, and

>treatment. For those found to be HIV-negative, efforts may be undertaken

>to help them remain uninfected.

>

>Kenya has become a regional and global pioneer in home-based HTC. The

>country’s experience can provide a rich foundation for other countries

>starting to implement or seeking to use home-based HTC as one part of

>their national HIV response.

>

>

>Read the case study on the AIDSTAR-One website:

>

>http://www.aidstar-one.com/focus_areas/hiv_testing_and_counseling/resources/cas\

e_study_series/getting_in_the_door?utm_source=blog & utm_medium=social & utm_content\

=HBHTCKENYA & utm_campaign=PARTKEN

>

>

>

>

>

> Pearson, MPH IBCLC

>M & E Officer, AIDSTAR-One

>Visit AIDSTAR-One http://www.aidstar-one.com

>Follow AIDSTAR-One on Twitter www.twitter.com/AIDSTAROne

>Like AIDSTAR-One on Facebook www.facebook.com/AIDSTAROne