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Community/Peer Initiated Testing and Counseling (C/PITC)

last updated Sep 28, 2011

Overview

Implementing organization: 
Voluntary Confidentiality Couseling and Testing (VCCT)
Implementation Partner(s): 
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (NCHADS), National Hospital, Referral Hospital, Health Centers and Entertainment Venues
Legal Status: 
State/government
Year Launched: 
2011
Stage: 
Pilot/startup stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
All income levels

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Government

Scale

Personnel Employed: 
100<
Summary: 

Community/Peer Initiated Testing and Counseling (C/PITC) are the community-based testing facilities that have been initiated and implemented by Cambodian government through National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (NCHADS) in 2011 to increase an uptake of HIV testing by high risk groups.

Program goals/rationale: 

Cambodia has successfully maintained the HIV/AIDS prevalence below1% among general population, largely attributing to 100% Condom Use Program. However, the prevalence is relatively high among most at risk groups such as injecting drug user (24.4% in 2007), men having sex with men (MSM, 8.7%), and brothel-based sex workers (14.7% in 2006) who have recently been named as entertainment works (EWs) since all brothels were officially closed. Voluntary Confidentiality Counseling and Testing (VCCT) has played a very important role as an entry point for HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention services, and is available in all 24 provinces at a variety of sites including referral hospital grounds, health centers or NGO clinics in the community. In 2010, NCHADS, however, estimated that the coverage of HIV testing and counseling among EWs at VCCT services was 20%. Given with relatively high HIV/AIDS prevalence in concomitance with limited access to VCCT, the high risk and hidden groups, mainly EWs and MSM who are generally highly active in sexual engagement activities could be the nidus for a second wave of HIV epidemic in the absence of robust preventive measures.

The purpose of initiation of C/PITC is to increase access to HIV testing services for most at risk groups, mainly EWs and MSM through the use of peer networks to promote and facilitate these high risk populations to check their health status at these new testing settings and/or seek care services at public facilities.

Key program components: 

The situational analysis and mapping is carried out to explore peer educator (PE) and Peer Facilitator (PF) networks who live with EWs and MSM, and suitable venues for setting C/PTIC facilities or drop in centers/meeting points. Another facility exploration is also performed to identify the nearest VCCT centers that are responsible for supporting C/PTIC with staffing, and logistic and supply management.

Orientation meetings are organized to sensitize 3 principle Cs (consent, counseling and confidentiality ) and articulate the concepts, process and purposes of C/PTIC to PE and PF networks, VCCT staff and other relevant stakeholders to bring their participation in the implementation of C/PTIC. VCCT staff are trained on how to facilitate and manage the process of C/PTIC services. They closely work and support the PE and PF networks such as training the networks on HIV test counseling (process, benefits, risks and other testing-related information). VCCT staff are given with transportation fees and incentives during their mission. EW and MSM networks organize their meeting in regular basis and VCCT staff are required to attend the meetings to continuous provision of technical supports to the networks and/or provide testing services in case of any voluntary acceptance by network members. The HIV testing services are provided in accordance with the National HIV Testing and Counseling protocol. In case of HIV positive, a 2 USD –cell card is attached with the testing result in sealed envelope to encourage and facilitate clients to seek consultation with counselors, however in case of no communication from the HIV+ persons, counselors take a responsibility for searching and bringing their clients for post-test counseling.

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