FHI - Toolkit Aims to Improve Voluntary Counseling and Testing

FEBRUARY 2008 — A voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) toolkit that aims to facilitate high-quality delivery has been produced by FHI/Jordan, in collaboration with USAID, FHI/Jordan, and the Ministry of Health. It contains practical advice on providing VCT, builds on existing resources, and pays attention to specific issues that are relevant in Jordan. Strategies for quality assurance are emphasized throughout.

VCT is an important component of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy in Jordan. Though the country is considered to have low HIV prevalence and the vast majority of people will test HIV negative, VCT is recognized as an important entry point to other HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and support interventions. It also promotes risk-assessment and risk-reduction strategies for those receiving pre- and post-test counseling.

With the support of USAID, FHI/Jordan began working closely with the National AIDS Program in 2000 to establish and expand VCT in Jordan. Since then, the National VCT Centre in Amman has been offering high-quality, confidential VCT service. More recently, VCT has been expanded to the other governorates, and some NGOs have begun to offer pre-test counseling and referral to government services for HIV testing. This initiative has been successful in reaching vulnerable groups, such as female sex workers.

FHI has been involved in training and supporting many who now provide VCT services. The toolkit was produced to ensure the high quality, consistency, and standardization of these services.

The launching of the toolkit in Amman during a four-day training workshop for staff of NGOs and the Ministry of Health provided opportunities for an exchange of success stories by those working in VCT.

VCT has advantages for those testing HIV negative and those who test positive. For those testing negative, VCT alleviates anxiety about past risks and increases their awareness of their vulnerability to HIV infection and the need for behavior change. For those testing positive, VCT helps reduce the risk of opportunistic infections through access to prophylactic treatment and facilitates early access to other care and treatment options.

PHOTO: Entisar Shahadeh from Family Guidance & Awareness Center in Zarqa presents a diagram about VCT services and referrals in an October 2007 training workshop in Amman, Jordan, for NGO staff on how to use the VCT toolkit to enhance their HIV counseling and testing practices. (FHI/Jordan)