HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing Clinic
The UGU District Municipality comprises of six local municipalities totalling over 750,000 people and was declared a Presidential Poverty Node in 2001. There are high levels of poverty in the district with many people living below the minimum living level. UGU District is therefore challenged by prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS in the region of 38% as well as a high incidence of poverty.
In an effort to encourage communities as well as family members of patients to know their status, Genesis Care Centre was accredited by the UGU District Department of Health as a Medical HIV/AIDS Counseling and Testing (HCT) site. Free counseling services are offered to family members of patients as well as to the surrounding communities, empowering them to cope with the emotional challenges associated with HIV/AIDS infection.
While in the Genesis Care Centre (GCC) patients receive intensive counselling about HIV/AIDS as well as their treatment. The families are encouraged and informed on the supportive care of the patients. Patients are counselled on their results and initiation of ARV’s & treatment is implemented. There is regular monitoring of patients responses to ARV treatment.
GCC currently tests approximately 25 patients and family members per month. As well as this, GCC test children from local Places of Safety. On request GCC goes to local companies, organisations, private groups and schools to talk on prevention education as well as offer HCT for staff, employees, and concerned individuals. An extension of this important work is achieved through the partnership with Project Positive Ray by sending a Mobile HCT unit into local communities every week day.
Meet the team
The Staff of the Genesis HCT Clinic
