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General information
What is VCT?
VCT stands for voluntary counselling and testing. It is when a person
chooses to undergo HIV and Aids counselling so that they can make an
informed decision about whether to be tested for HIV.
The government is encouraging all citizens to be tested for HIV
and residents can be tested at any of the City's health facilities.
Even if a person is not infected with HIV, testing gives them
the opportunity to gain more knowledge about HIV and Aids and better
understand the counselling process and how it can benefit them.
If you are not infected with HIV, VCT can motivate you to
remain HIV-negative, and better accept those who are infected with the
virus. It also gives you the opportunity to learn how to stay as
healthy as possible for a longer time.
A main benefit of VCT is that if you are infected, you can find
out how to live positively with HIV. Positive living means living with
HIV and Aids in such a way that you take control of your physical,
social, emotional and spiritual life.
It means keeping a positive outlook on life and not giving up.
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Did you know?
A
study being conducted in clinics in the Inner City of Johannesburg
shows that 50% of the patients who contract STIs also test positive for
HIV. This shows that Sexually Transmitted Infections increase the
chances of getting HIV. In Gauteng the prevalence rate of HIV amongst
pregnant women was 29.8% in 2001. This figure has come from a
Department of Health study, started in 1990, which tests pregnant women
attending public sector antenatal clinics for the first time.
What is Nevirapine?
Nevirapine is a medicine which decreases the transmission of HIV from
an HIV infected mother to the baby. It is a fast acting and potent
antiretroviral, which takes a significant amount of time to be
eliminated from the body. It is a valuable option in reducing the risk
of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, since it is absorbed quickly
into the body and passed readily to the placenta. Only a limited dose
is required for effectiveness, and it remains active in the body of
both the mother and the baby for a few days after birth.
Is Nevirapine safe?
When Nevirapine is used for short-course mother-to-child transmission
prevention as described above, it is safe. Thousands of women and
babies have taken Nevirapine as part of mother-to-child transmission
prevention programmes in many parts of the world, including Uganda,
South Africa, Thailand, the United States and Europe.
If the virus has recently entered the baby's bloodstream, then the high
levels of antiretroviral medicine can prevent the virus from spreading.
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What is counselling?
Counselling is a private face-to-face conversation with a specially trained person aimed at helping you to help yourself.
Counselling encourages you to explore possible solutions to your
problems. HIV and Aids counselling provided at government VCT sites is
free and confidential. This means the counsellor cannot disclose the
results of your test to anyone else without your permission.
Counselling before HIV and Aids testing is vital so that you
can make an informed decision after getting all the facts whether you
still want to be tested.
After testing has been completed, you will be counselled again
before you are informed of your HIV status. This assists you to cope
with the HIV test result, whether it is positive or negative.
If you find out at an early stage that you are infected with HIV, you can:
- Learn more about the virus and how it affects your body;
- Look after yourself so you stay healthy for as long as possible;
- Get information and counselling on how to live positively;
- Learn to recognise the signs of opportunistic infections and how to combat them;
- Make sure you do not infect anyone else;
- Learn how to manage the stress in your life; and
- Find out about anti-retroviral treatment and how chances of mother-to-child transmission can be reduced.
What are opportunistic infections?
Opportunistic
infections are those kinds of infections that your body would normally
be able to combat should you have a strong immune system.
With a depleted immune system, the body is susceptible to
infections such as tuberculosis, certain kinds of pneumonia and skin
infections.
Keep yourself healthier for as long as possible, by doing the following:
- Get treatment for infections as soon as possible as this helps to maintain the strength of your immune system;
- Practice protected sex to avoid infecting yourself or others with HIV or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs);
- Eat a well-balanced diet, as well as lots of fresh fruit and vegetables;
- Avoid consuming alcohol and smoking and if you do, try to stop as soon as possible;
- Take the multivitamin supplements provided by your doctor or the clinic;
- Exercise for at least 20 minutes, three times a week; and
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Visit an HIV clinic regularly so that your health can be monitored and
doctors can supply you with anti-retroviral treatment should it be
necessary.
You can also help in the fight against HIV and Aids by informing your
family, friends and neighbours about HIV and Aids, how they can prevent
infections, or how they can continue to live positively if they are
infected with HIV.
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