Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine (Oct 2017)

South African HIV self-testing policy and guidance considerations

  • Francois Venter,
  • Mohammed Majam,
  • Lauren Jankelowitz,
  • Siraaj Adams,
  • Michelle Moorhouse,
  • Sergio Carmona,
  • Wendy Stevens,
  • Busisiwe R. Msimanga,
  • David Allen,
  • Pooja Balani,
  • Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu,
  • Naleni Rhagnath,
  • Amir Shroufi,
  • Walter Devillé,
  • Victoria Kazangarare,
  • Renee van der Wiel,
  • Hugo Templeman,
  • Adrian Puren,
  • Tim Tucker,
  • Gilles van Cutsem,
  • Francesca Conradie,
  • Krista Dong,
  • Thato Chidarikire,
  • Andy Gray

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v18i1.775
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 1
pp. e1 – e9

Abstract

Read online

The gap in HIV testing remains significant and new modalities such as HIV self-testing (HIVST) have been recommended to reach key and under-tested populations. In December 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the Guidelines on HIV Self-Testing and Partner Notification: A Supplement to the Consolidated Guidelines on HIV Testing Services (HTS) and urged member countries to develop HIVST policy and regulatory frameworks. In South Africa, HIVST was included as a supplementary strategy in the National HIV Testing Services Policy in 2016, and recently, guidelines for HIVST were included in the South African National Strategic Plan for HIV, sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis 2017–2022. This document serves as an additional guidance for the National HIV Testing Services Policy 2016, with specific focus on HIVST. It is intended for policy advocates, clinical and non-clinical HTS providers, health facility managers and healthcare providers in private and public health facilities, non-governmental, community-based and faith-based organisations involved in HTS and outreach, device manufacturers, workplace programmes and institutes of higher education.