VCT stands for voluntary counselling and testing . VCT is when a person chooses to undergo HIV/AIDS counselling so that they can make an informed decision about whether to be tested for HIV. The government is encouraging all of us to come forward to be tested for HIV. it believes that if many of us get tested, even though we may not be sick, this will help to lessen the amount of stigma associated with the HIV test. Also, if we find out as an earlier stage, that we are infected with HIV, we can:
If we are not infected with HIV, VCT can motivate us to stay HIV antibody negative, and to accept those who are infected.
These are the kind of infections that your body would normally be able to control if your immune system was strong. Unfortunately, when HIV destroys your immune system, these diseases flourish. They are called opportunistic because if your immune system was strong, they would not be able to flourish. Some examples are thrush of the mouth and TB.
Counselling is a private conversation with a specially trained person aimed at helping you to help yourself. Counselling encourages you to explore possible solutions to your problems, and to consider the impact that certain decision may have on your life. HIV/AIDS counselling provided at VCT sites is free and confidential. This means that the Counsellor cannot tell anyone about your result without your permission. You must receive face-to-face counselling before you have the test. This is known as pre-test counseling, and is aimed at ensuring that you make a well-informed decision about whether to have the HIV test or not, and encourages you to explore the possible impact that having the test may have on your life.
Once the test has been done, you will receive post-test counselling. This is the counselling during which you will receive your result. We know that people who have good pre and post-test counselling are able to cope better with their results, and are more likely to look after their health, and protect others from infection. The counselling that you may have once you already know your result is known as on-going counselling. On-going counselling helps you to live positively with HIV and provides you with support and guidance with regard to any problem that you may face. Having the HIV anitbody test is you own personal decision. No one can force you to have it. Here is some more information about the different kinds of counselling:
This is the kind of counselling you get before you decide whether you want to have the HIV antibody test. Some of the issues the counsellor will discuss with you are:
This is the kind of counselling you get after you have had the test. During this session the cousellor will:
HIV antibody test results are never given over the phone. You can only receive your result face-to-face
Ongoing counselling is the king of counselling that happens after you have received your test result. The aims of ongoing counselling are to:
When HIV first gets into your body, your immune system recognizes it as harmful and makes special disease fighting cells called antibodies. Your body takes between 6 and 12 weeks to make these antibodies. The HIV antibody test looks for these special cells and not for HIV itself. If you have an HIV antibody test before your body has made these fighting cells, the test will be HIV antibody negative, even though HIV is in your body. This time when you have HIV in your body but your immune system has not made antibodies yet is known as the WINDOW PERIOD. It is important to remember that if you have HIV in your body, even if you have tested HIV antibody negative, you can still pass the virus onto someone else if you have unprotected sex. If you get tested after 12 weeks, your test will be HIV antibody positive. This will mean that you have HIV.
The main benefit of finding out your HIV antibody status is that you can find out how to live positively with HIV. Positive living means living with HIV/AIDS in such a way that you take control of your own physical, emotional, social and spiritual life. It means keeping a positive outlook and not giving up. Here are some of the things that you can to to help you live better with HIV
Finding out that you have HIV may make you feel very angry and confused. Some people feel very sad, some go into shock and may feel numb, and others are very scared. Many people feel totally overwhelmed and helpless. It's important to realize that you are undergoing a crisis so these feelings are normal. Accept them, because feeling this way is part of the process of coming to terms with your HIV status. The strength of these feelings will lessen over time but a lot of people may sleep badly, not feel like eating, and feel tearful for a few weeks after being told they have HIV/AIDS. If these feelings are still very strong after about three weeks you may need to seek professional help from a counsellor or doctor.
Stress is known to make your immune system weak. If your immune system is weak it will not be able to fight infections well. You can lesson the amount of stress in your life by:
Find out as much as you can about HIV/AIDS and your own health. There are a lot of thinks that you can do to help yourself stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible:
These are drugs that try to stop HIV from multiplying in the body. They cannot cure HIV/AIDS, but are good at keeping HIV-infected people healthier for longer. They are expensive and range in price from about R500.00 a month to R4000.00. The price is likely to drop in the future. Ask you local HIV clinic for advice.
This page last edited on
11 November, 2021
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