RESUMEN
Kara Counselling and Training Trust (Kara) began offering voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV to the Zambian public in 1992. In the first years, clients came for testing because they were sick. These days however, more and more healthy young people are requesting tests for other reasons: they may be planning to get married, to have children or to engage in unprotected sex after being in an intimate relationship for some time. More than 20% of the clients now come for marriage-related reasons--as individuals or as couples. People want to know their HIV status so they can share it with their current or future spouse in order to make informed choices and protect each other's sexual and reproductive health.
Asunto(s)
Consejo , Infecciones por VIH , Matrimonio , Desarrollo de Programa , Medicina Reproductiva , África , África del Sur del Sahara , África Oriental , Instituciones de Atención Ambulatoria , Países en Desarrollo , Enfermedad , Salud , Planificación en Salud , Organización y Administración , Virosis , ZambiaRESUMEN
PIP: This paper examines the impact of voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT) in Zambia based on the Kara Counseling Experience. The Kara Counseling and Training Trust has offered VCT services since 1992. Overall, it is noted that although counseling by people other than family members or community elders is a new concept in Zambia, it was seen as useful by virtually all attendees who valued the opportunity to share problems with a counselor who was not judgmental. Although the demand has risen, considerable barriers to HIV counseling still exist such as fear of discrimination and abandonment. Poor communication between partners is in part due to traditional beliefs about discussing sensitive subjects and roles of men and women within marriage. This paper recommends the need to teach young people about HIV and gender awareness. Moreover, VCT should also be linked with medical care, and improving medical services for people with HIV will help reduce the barriers to testing. Lastly, improving linkages to palliative and home care services will help alleviate the fears of those who test positive.^ieng