Opening dialogue through VCT

Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) centres offer an important platform for coming to terms with HIV and encouraging open dialogue on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Harare-based regional information service SAfAIDS says in its latest media pack. As we enter the third decade of the HIV/AIDS epidemic with an average of 2,000 HIV infections per week in many southern African countries, "open dialogue concerning HIV/AIDS is crucial between partners, immediate family and friends, and the community at large," SAfAIDS notes. The latest issue of its information packs, aimed at raising awareness among the regional media on HIV/AIDS issues, has VCT as its theme. It quotes data from South Africa's Beyond Awareness Campaign that reveals suicides among HIV positive people are up to 35 times higher than among non-infected people. "This is because an HIV positive diagnosis can have a dramatic, usually negative effect on the life of the person concerned," SAfAIDS says. "Counselling has been adopted as a useful platform for coming to terms with HIV, whether one tests HIV positive or HIV negative. Counselling helps reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and provides support for those who are infected and affected," the media pack explains. "Other counselling benefits include openness between partners, disclosure, making informed choices such as having children, especially if one is HIV positive, planning for the future, and the need for safe-sex to avoid re-infection," it adds. The pack features several stories from the southern African region that investigates VCT. It also includes a Fact Sheet explaining VCT in more detail, and links to additional sources of information. To access the media pack Or visit SAfAIDS