Approaches to HIV counselling and testing: Strengths and weaknesses, and challenges for the way forward

Abstract

South Africa has the highest rates of HIV infection of any country in the world. The two main goals of the National Strategic Plan on HIV & AIDS and STIs, 2007-2011 (NSP) are to reduce the incidence of new HIV infections in South Africa by half by 2011 and to ensure that at least 80% of those who are already HIV-positive have access to treatment (National Department of Health, 2007). Knowledge of HIV status is considered critical for both these prevention and treatment goals. Once an individual has been tested for HIV, prevention can be reinforced and referral made to available treatment, care and support services. A potential added benefit is that increasing the number of people who know their HIV status through expanded access to HIV counselling and testing may also result in a decrease in HIV-related stigma, leading to a normalisation of the HIV epidemic (Anderson, 2006; De Cock et al., 2002). © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.