Re: WHO/UNAIDS prescribes Care Provider Initated HIV testing

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

I agree with Dr. Sarman Singh, that provider intiated testing is the

right of doctors, but i have seen cases where the doctors have refused ANC care

unless the women agreed for HIV testing. Do you think this is good practice?

I think pretest counselling and giving choice to the patient to opt for HIV

testing is very much needed and should not be ignored. I worked as a counsellor

in PPTCT and in my experiences. When the patient is explained the purpose of

testing and its advantages to the patient, during pretesting most of the

patients agree for testing.

Prescribing testing without ensuring pre and post-test counselling would be

disastrous.

Swati Pongurlekar

e-mail: <swatip187@...>