Government-funded programmes and services for vulnerable - Unicef

Department of Health
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Counselling and testing
Infants, children and
adolescents have a
right to HCT. No child
may be tested until the
child and the child’s
caregiver have received
pre-test counselling. xxii
Counselling must also be
provided after the test.
HIV counselling
is defined as an
intervention which
gives the client an
opportunity to be
educated and supported
in order to explore his
or her HIV risk; to learn
about his or her HIV
status and manage the
consequences; to learn
about HIV prevention
and HIV/AIDS treatment,
care and support
services; and to learn
how to modify their
behaviour to reduce the
risk of HIV infection. xxiii
Consent
The Children’s Act
provides that no child may
be tested for HIV unless
the child/parent/other
person has consented to
the test (s130).
If the child is younger
than 12 and is not
sufficiently mature, then
the parent, caregiver,
provincial head of
social development
or a designated social
protection organisation
may consent to the test.
father or sibling died
from AIDS;
HIV status is unknown
and her whereabouts
are unknown;
breastfed by a woman
of unknown status;
experienced/is at risk
of sexual assault;
interests of a child
being considered for
foster or adoption
placement.
blood may only be
by pricking a finger
with designated
equipment to obtain
a small quantity of
blood sufficient for
testing.
Counselling is
provided by HIV
counsellors who are
trained individuals and
who have completed
an HIV counselling
course prescribed
in the National
Minimum Standards
for Counselling and
Training. Counselling
in terms of the HCT
programme can be
administered by
medical professionals
or lay counsellors
at medical and nonmedical
sites.
Even though
counselling may
be delegated to lay
counsellors, the
healthcare worker
remains responsible
for the overall
psychosocial wellbeing
of children and
their caregivers. xxiv
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