Moldova Expands Services for HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis

HIV and Hepatitis B and C are two of the fastest-growing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Moldova. These STIs are on the rise due to a lack of quality information available, the migration of workers for illegal work that does not provide healthcare benefits and/or is in a high-risk environment. Furthermore, counselling and testing services in Moldova have been either unavailable or unreliable and inconsistent because health workers had not received effective training. In the absence of appropriate public health education, negative myths about these highly stigmatized diseases persist.

Thanks to the establishment of 36 Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Centres, six of which were supported by the USAID Preventing HIV and Hepatitis B & C Program (PHHP), Moldovans now have somewhere to turn to find answers, support, and accurate information. The Centres offer services at free or for a minimal fee to the public and campaign for community education, stigma reduction, and behaviour change. While being tested, clients are counselled about HIV and hepatitis prevention, have the opportunity to develop risk-reduction plans, and receive referrals to post-test community groups that work to reinforce behaviour change. VCT services are a catalyst for behaviour change using trained staff, confidential pre- and post-test counselling, reliable diagnostics, and complementary referral services to other prevention, care, and support programs for those who test negative for the STIs – as well as those who test positive.

PHHP has worked with the Government of Moldova to increase the number of standardized and high-quality VCT clinics within public healthcare facilities nationwide within the past two years. By providing technical assistance, monitoring and evaluation, and training support to health workers, PHHP rapidly increased the quality of VCT services across Moldova. A national VCT curriculum was developed for health workers to establish a quality standard of care; to date, 66 counsellors and centre supervisors have been certified and are working at the Centres. In the first 9 months of 2008, more than 9,135 persons visited VCT Centres to access services.

Source: http://www.usaid.gov