Government-funded programmes and services for vulnerable - Unicef
Government-funded programmes and services for vulnerable - Unicef
Government-funded programmes and services for vulnerable - Unicef
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Department of Health<br />
➔<br />
the first few months of<br />
life. There<strong>for</strong>e, the revised<br />
Guidelines stress the<br />
importance of testing all<br />
HIV-exposed infants <strong>and</strong><br />
identifying those who are<br />
HIV+ as early as possible.<br />
The Guidelines require<br />
that all HIV-exposed<br />
infants be tested <strong>for</strong> HIV<br />
at the age of six weeks,<br />
<strong>and</strong> every six weeks<br />
thereafter if the test is<br />
negative, <strong>and</strong> then again<br />
at the age of 18 months.<br />
The section below on the<br />
PMTCT programme deals<br />
with the testing <strong>and</strong><br />
treatment of HIV-exposed<br />
infants in more detail.<br />
Testing of adolescents<br />
The national adolescentfriendly<br />
clinic initiative<br />
seeks to make healthcare<br />
facilities more accessible<br />
<strong>and</strong> acceptable to<br />
adolescents. A key part<br />
of the initiative is peer<br />
outreach to encourage<br />
young people to make<br />
use of healthcare facilities.<br />
The provision of youth<strong>and</strong><br />
child-friendly<br />
counselling <strong>and</strong> testing is<br />
rein<strong>for</strong>ced in the Policy<br />
Guideline <strong>for</strong> HCT, which<br />
requires HCT <strong>services</strong><br />
to be provided in a<br />
child- <strong>and</strong> youth-friendly<br />
environment where<br />
their needs, questions<br />
<strong>and</strong> personal concerns<br />
can com<strong>for</strong>tably be<br />
communicated.<br />
➔<br />
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