PAFPI in cooperation with The Department of Health (DOH) has been conducting HIV Counseling to Testing Trainings (HCtT) for the past five years to train willing individuals and certify them to properly conduct HIV counseling sessions. Doctors and nurses of different diagnostic clinics attended the last training seminar. Even if they are trained in their respective specialties, they attended the training to enhance their knowledge and receive a specific way to approach instances involving HIV counseling and testing.
Just like a trained professional, people who take this training seminar will be guided in accordance with DOH rules and standards to maintain the quality a client goes through from pre to post HIV testing. It is important to emphasize that a client who will undergo HIV testing should be prepared before the test and should be given an appropriate assistance or guidance after. This applies to all people who have either a positive or a negative HIV test result.
HIV testing should not be focused on awareness and treatments alone, but should also consider that frequent HIV testing may give a person peace of mind and a better way of maintaining a healthy and productive life. An HIV positive result may give a person a chance to deal with himself/herself on a personal level by making better decisions in life. Also, an HIV negative result isn’t a passport for a person to increase his or her sexual activities. It is a way of giving him an opportunity to manage his urges in a more responsible way. HIV testing may greatly improve a person’s life – it all depends on the person who is giving him/her guidance.