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Voluntary Counseling and Testing for HIV (VCT)
VCT is increasingly important in the global response to HIV/AIDS.
VCT benefits clients, their sexual partners and families, and the general
community by helping prevent the spread of HIV and linking infected
persons to care, treatment and support. However, psychological and
physical barriers, such as access to testing and stigma surrounding
HIV testing, remain and prevent rapid HIV testing scale up in the developing
world.
In 2007, PSI VCT sites tested 838,478 people in 23 countries, an increase of 42% over 2006. PSI launched VCT in Burundi, China and Nigeria and took over management of 19 sites in Guinea. Benin saw a 2,800% growth in clients followed by Madagascar (171%), Zambia (163%) and Mali (132%).
PSI was one of the first international NGOs to implement VCT social
marketing to address these barriers. PSI combines innovative service
delivery, standardized training, and social marketing for VCT to create
demand for and increase access to high-quality VCT.
Innovative Service Delivery: PSI creates its own
VCT sites and develops capacity for locally-managed VCT centers through
training and standardized protocols. PSI uses novel techniques such
as social franchising, mobile & workplace VCT and public sector
integration to increase access to VCT services.
Standardized training and protocols: To ensure quality
of services at VCT sites, standardized protocols are developed and
used by each of the facilities. Site staff receive counseling and testing
training and are monitored to ensure quality of care compliance. The
sites form a network of VCT and care and support services linked through
a common brand. PSI promotes the brand as a symbol of hope and quality
VCT services and uses the brand to create awareness and demand for
the sites in the network.
Social marketing of VCT: PSI uses branded advertising and generic
behavior change communication techniques to motivate people to know
their HIV status (see VCT logos above). VCT networks benefit from culturally
appropriate, targeted mass media and inter-personal communications
strategies that diminish stigma surrounding HIV testing.
In 1999, PSI launched the first VCT social marketing project in Zimbabwe
to address the psychological and geographical barriers to VCT. PSI
branded the VCT sites "New Start," showing a rising sun and indicating
that VCT can bring hope and a new start to those who test. New Start
was used as a model for PSIs expanding VCT program, which now includes
21 country programs in Sub-Saharan Africa (15 country programs), Asia
(4 country programs), Haiti and El Salvador. PSI and its partners have
tested over 1.6 million individuals and 80,000 couples since 2002,
with an average yearly client increase of 48%.
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| PSI's VCT logos from around the world |
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PSI/Kenya's 2006 campaign extended VCT promotion to
rural Kenya through hopeful messages. This poster and related TV
ads target HIV discordant couples.
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In El Salvador, lab technicians test sex
workers outside of a brothel. Meeting high-risk populations
at their place of work increases their likelihood of
being tested.
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