The service, announced to coincide with World AIDS Day in 2021, is now available at 38 City Health facilities, with nearly 15 000 people already opting for the assisted self-screening.
In the past 12 months, the public health sector has introduced two new measures to encourage HIV testing.
Index Case Testing (ICT) encourages those with HIV to get all ‘at-risk’ contacts (sexual contact, or young children and injecting drug partner(s) within the past year) tested for HIV.
HIV Self-Screening allows individuals to do their own HIV test, either in the presence of, and assisted by a healthcare worker, or not.
Self-screening can be done through a finger prick test (Insti) or an oral swab test (Oraquick).
Should an individual’s self-test be positive, they are recommended to undergo the usual HIV rapid testing by a lay counsellor or nurse at a healthcare facility, in accordance with the National HIV Testing Algorithm.
Between April and October 2022, 13 478 patients have had assisted HIV self-screening at City Health facilities, returning a positivity rate of 2,3%.
‘It’s very encouraging to see clients responding to these new options available to them. Knowing your HIV status is empowering, because it allows you to make the right decisions for your health, but also protecting your loved ones. I remind the public that HIV is essentially a treatable chronic disease, but treatment relies on testing. We understand that stigma remains a big challenge, which is unfortunate, because if we were more tolerant and accepting, more people would get tested. So, as part of the education and awareness around World AIDS Day 2022, I also challenge one and all to check our prejudice, and be part of the solution,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.
City Health has 38 facilities that are offering assisted HIV self-screening (list below).
Albow Gardens, Bloekombos, Bluedowns, Crossroads 1, Delft South, Diep River, Dr Ivan Toms, Eastridge, Factreton, Gugulethu, Hout Bay Main Road, Ikhwezi CDC, Kuyasa, Langa, Luvuyo, Masiphumelele, Matthew Goniwe CDC, Mayenzeke, Mzamomhle, Philippi, Phumlani, Protea Park, Ravensmead, Saxon Sea, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Site B Youth Clinic, Site C Youth Clinic, Somerset West, Spencer Road, St Vincent, Tafelsig CDC, Town 2 CDC, Vuyani, Wallacedene, Weltevreden Valley, Westlake, Westridge, Wynberg
GENERAL HIV STATISTICAL TRENDS – CITY HEALTH
HIV testing among males increased from 19,5% in July 2020 to 25,2% in October 2022
The vast majority of those testing for HIV are aged 15 – 49
The percentage of persons testing positive dropped from 13% in 2010, to just under 2% in 2022
‘The statistical trends are encouraging, but there is always room for improvement. Recently, with International Men’s Day, we highlighted the need for men to start playing a more proactive role in their health and well-being. We hope to see a far bigger increase in the percentage of men testing to know their HIV status in future. And with the new screening methods at their disposal, this should be entirely doable,’ added Councillor Van der Ross.
Source: City Of Cape Town