These consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services (HTS) bring together existing and new guidance on HTS across different settings and populations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) first released consolidated guidelines on HTS in 2015, in response to requests from Member States, national pr...ogramme managers and health workers for support to achieve the United Nations (UN) 90–90–90 global HIV targets – and specifically the first target of diagnosing 90% of all people with HIV. In 2016, based on new evidence, WHO released a supplement to address important new HIV testing approaches – HIV self-testing (HIVST) and provider-assisted referral.
Since the release of 2015 and 2016 HTS guidelines, new issues and more evidence have emerged. To address this, WHO has updated guidance on HIV testing services. In this guideline, WHO updates recommendation on HIVST and provides new recommendations on social network-based HIV testing approaches and western blotting (see box, next page). This guideline seeks to provide support to Member States, programme managers, health workers and other stakeholders seeking to achieve national and international goals to end the HIV epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.
These guidelines also provide operational guidance on HTS demand creation and messaging; implementation considerations for priority populations; HIV testing strategies for diagnosis HIV; optimizing the use of dual HIV/syphilis rapid diagnostic tests; and considerations for strategic planning and rationalizing resources such as optimal time points for maternal retesting
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Guidance Brief
Selected findings from ECDC and EMCDDA scientific guidance, 2018
HTC COUNTRY REPORT | LESOTHO
This interim guidance to national health authorities and blood transfusion services outlines the steps required to collect convalescent whole blood (CWB) or plasma (CP) from Ebola virus disease (EVD) recovered patients for transfusion to patients with early EVD, as an empirical treatment modality.
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Document contents:
Guidance on donor selection, screening, donation and handling of blood and plasma units;
guidance on transfusion of convalescent whole blood or plasma;
other considerations.
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The Guide to operationalize HIV viral load testing HIV presents 60 lessons learnt from the project in a systemic approach including: viral load strategy, laboratories, procurement and supply management, patient care and economy.
Journal of the International AIDS Society, Volume 20, Issue 1 (2017)21796
Qualitative research on HIV self testing among men who have sex with men and transgender women in Yangon, Mynamar.
Global effort to increase early diagnosis and engagement in HIV care emphasize the importance ...of developing novel approaches to reaching those missed by traditional methods. Such needs are particularly great for men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender women (TW), and other populations who face stigma. Myanmar's HIV epidemic is concentrated among key populations and the revised National Strategy aims to reduce late diagnosis and barriers to care to curb HIV incidence among these groups. HIV self‐testing (HIVST) may be one method to improve testing and diagnosis among key populations, by placing HIV testing and disclosure within the individual's control.
https://doi.org/10.7448/IAS.20.01.21796
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Guidelines
HIV testing services
July 2015
October 2018
HIV testing services
These guidelines provide a framework for effective action to facilitate access to safe and ethical
testing services for different population groups. The implementation of the a comprehensive
approach, known as HIV Testing Services (HTS) is cardinal as an effective package of services
that diminis...hes the impact of the HIV epidemic in our country. All forms of HTS adhere to
the 5Cs: Confidentiality, Counselling, Consent, Correct results and Connection, or linkage
to care, with all based within a human right context. In addition to the 5Cs, however, the
MOHCDGEC emphasizes the use of a variety of approaches to HTS that will reduce the
number of missed opportunities. These include Provider-Initiated Testing and Counselling
testing, Couple counselling and testing, Index testing, and infant and children counselling and
testing in alignment to the revised WHO guidelines. Furthermore, these guidelines accentuate
on the continual provision of integrated HTS service at all levels of the public and private
health service delivery system.
The HTS Providers, managers and other stakeholders
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