FHI Reviews Counseling and Testing Policies and Practices in the Eastern Mediterranean

DECEMBER 2008 — Being commissioned by the World Health Organization to review HIV counselling and testing policies and practices in the 22 countries in the eastern Mediterranean region meant that FHI/Egypt had an important role at the 18th intercountry meeting of managers of national AIDS programs, organized by the WHO's regional office Nov. 17–18.

Invited to attend the two-day meeting in Alexandria as a technical partner, FHI showcased its technical leadership and publications and received critical acclaim for its review from national AIDS program managers and UN and civil society partners in attendance.

Following that meeting, FHI participated in a two-day intercountry consultation in Alexandria that aimed to reach consensus on recommended testing and counselling policies and practices and to consider how to scale up access to testing and counselling services in the region, including the introduction of provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling.

The FHI report included a literature review on HIV testing and counselling policies and practices in the 22 countries in the region and case studies on Oman, Pakistan, Sudan, and Egypt. Among its recommendations and lessons learned were the following: 

• Reasons for low access to client-initiated or voluntary counselling and HIV testing should be explored and program responses enhanced at country-level to increase access to voluntary testing.
• Linkages need to be improved between HIV testing sites and services that provide HIV treatment, care, and other healthcare services.
• Organizations of people living with HIV and AIDS need capacity building and greater involvement in national and regional policy and programs.

PHOTO: FHI/Egypt Country Director Dr Cherif Soliman (2nd row, far right) and Associate Program Officer Karina Shalaby (2nd row, third from right) joined UN and civil society partners at the 18th intercountry meeting of national AIDS program managers in the WHO's eastern Mediterranean region. (FHI/Egypt)