Ngatia G, Odoyo J, Doyle V, Taegtmeyer M; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. ThPeF8028.
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Nairobi, Kenya
ISSUES: Implementing voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for HIV is a priority area for the Government of Kenya. However the government does not have a complete picture of who is providing VCT services, where VCT services are being provided or what the quality of these services are. Whilst National Guidelines for VCT have been developed, dissemination of those guidelines is only just beginning and systematic evaluation of VCT sites against the guidelines is lacking. The government is substantially scaling up VCT services over the next 2 years just as a rapid expansion of services is expected in NGO and private sectors. DESCRIPTION: This paper describes a pilot VCT accreditation project set-up to establish how best to monitor and evaluate quality of VCT services in Government, NGO and private sectors. Key stakeholders met in November 2001 to define an accreditation strategy and develop accreditation tools. Pre-testing has already been conducted and 10 VCT sites (public, private and NGO) are voluntarily undergoing external assessment during February 2002. Those sites that comply with minimum standards will be granted accreditation status by the Department of Health Standards and Regulatory Services (DSRS) and be permitted to display the National VCT logo that has been developed for the National VCT promotion campaign. LESSONS LEARNED: The rapid expansion of VCT services could be dangerous unless quality assurance procedures are an integral part of the scale-up. A voluntary accreditation programme is feasible and should help ensure adherence to the National VCT guidelines. RECOMMENDATIONS: Key stake-holders must learn from this process and look towards how this experience can be modified and scaled-up to a National Accreditation Programme, guaranteeing consistency and quality of VCT service delivery to all VCT users, in all Districts of Kenya.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Accreditation
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Counseling
- HIV Infections
- Kenya
- Voluntary Programs
Other ID:
UI: 102251299
From Meeting Abstracts