COMMUNITY HIV TESTING taking the clinic to the community Presented by: Priscilla Matyanga OPHID Trust Community Facilitator 2015 PSS Conference Victoria Falls

Who is OPHID? OPHID Trust is a local charitable trust that works closely with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) With a multidisciplinary team of professionals, and leading a consortium of implementing partners, OPHID supports the national PMTCT, pediatric and adult care & treatment program nationwide

Background to HIV testing HTC is the entry point to treatment care and support Most common models of HIV testing limited to static on- site (VCT and provider initiated) Other models have been suggested e.g. self testing, door to door, campaigns, PITC for any and all clients To succeed in the target need to implement the WHO guidelines that recommend community-based HIV testing and counselling with linkage to prevention, care and treatment services

How it started Peer to peer community groups known as Mbereko groups encourage families to make healthy choices for themselves and their children Led by the Village Health workers groups meet on a regular basis to discuss different health topics and map actionable outcomes During the course of meetings a special request was made to bring HIV testing to the community Specific focus was on family centred HIV testing to include all members of the family

Approach Approval from the district Ministry of Health and Child Care offices Worked with the departments at district/clinic level - Environmental health person (siting of tent and environmental issues) -Laboratory person (testing consumables) -Health Promotion officer (mobilisation strategy in the community) -Community department (District supervisor who also assisted in HIV testing) -Primary Counsellor (site staff who did the testing and counselling) -Village Health Workers (worked with HPO in mobilisation and follow up) Over a period of two weeks the mobile team of 2 testers, 1 counsellor and 3 support staff moved to different community locations for testing

Equipment and consumables Tent Outdoor chairs Outdoor tables Appropriate Registers and Referral books/note Test kits Gloves Swabs Sharps box Plastic sheeting

Results

Results- HIV positive

Follow up visits Those who test HIV positive were easily linked to continued care and treatment because local clinic staff present made appointments for when they can come in VHW make necessary follow up of people who do not turn up to the clinic after the outreach Linked to PSS groups such as Mbereko groups and others for continued support

Lessons Learnt Community HIV outreach testing is feasible It affords opportunity to men and especially children to get tested More couples can be easily tested within their community (total of 56 couples tested) Using a family centred approach helps to identify children in need of treatment A worrying trend is that people on treatment still got tested to “verify” their status

Areas of improvement Addition of mobile CD4 machine Providing medication such as Cotrimoxazole and ARVs Addition of other related services such as cervical screening, male circumcision by partnering with organisations who provide such services

Thank You – Tatenda – Siyabonga Special mention goes to PEPFAR Zimbabwe thorough USAID OPHID FACE project Ministry of Health and Child Care district personnel Village Health Workers And the communities of St Peters, Mandeya, Nyava, Manhenga and Rutope clinics