Evaluation of Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) for HIV in a District of India
ICTCs provide a critical entry point for prevention, care and support for both people affected by HIV/AIDS and general population. The study was conducted with the objective of evaluating ICTCs in terms of infrastructure and staffing, services provided, level of utilization and quality of counsel...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2012
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/5592/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/5592/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/5592/1/vol%25202%2520no%25202%25202012_22.pdf |
| Summary: | ICTCs provide a critical entry point for prevention, care and support for both
people affected by HIV/AIDS and general population. The study was
conducted with the objective of evaluating ICTCs in terms of infrastructure
and staffing, services provided, level of utilization and quality of counselling.The structure and process evaluation of 13 ICTCs under National AIDS
control programme III (NACP III) was carried out in a Coastal District of
South India. The evaluation was carried out using UNAIDS Tools between
July and September of 2010.Twelve out of 13 ICTCs (92%) had adequate infrastructure and staff. Most of
the general clients (75%) attending ICTCs were provider initiated and 84.5%
of antenatal women in the district attended pre-test counselling and also
underwent HIV testing. Twenty six pre-test counselling sessions and 12 post
test sero-positive counselling sessions were observed. Pre-test counselling
content assessment revealed that only 57.4% of sessions address all the issues
whereas, 79% of post-test sessions addressed most of the issues during
counselling. Counsellors’ skills assessment information gathering and
information giving were found to be poorly done. It was found that post test
counselling sessions were not conducted for clients with HIV negative report.The aspects of ICTCs such as services provided at the centers, utilization of
services by the clients, infrastructure and staffing pattern were found to be
adequate. Counselling forms the vital component of the ICTC needed
improvement and post test counselling should be mandatory to all the clients. |
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