AEGiS-15IAC: National HIV testing policies: Human rights considerations.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

National HIV testing policies: Human rights considerations.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. WeOrE1259)

Gruskin S, Tarantola D, Maluwa M, Ahmed S
International Health and Human Rights Program, FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, United States

ISSUES: The availability of antiretrovirals has brought new attention to the consensus around voluntary counseling and testing. Guidance on national policies therefore has to fully take into account the growing challenges of HIV testing and counseling in different settings. Human rights protections in the design and implementation of HIV testing strategies may be eroded within national level policy and practice without systematic attention and analysis. BACKGROUND: This paper reviews national policies on HIV testing to highlight the variations in what testing strategies are promoted, as well as the level of generality or specificity within the policies reviewed. The national HIV/AIDS policies of 13 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas were analyzed in order to characterize some common themes regarding HIV testing and counseling.

LESSONS LEARNED: Policies stress the importance of informed consent, confidentiality, and non-discrimination based on HIV status. The most significant differences between existing policies appears to be with respect to whether voluntary or "routine" testing is promoted, informed consent and confidentiality are ensured, and how testing of adolescents is handled.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Human rights should be of concern across the range of issues HIV testing presents. Several key factors must be addressed simultaneously and in a comprehensive fashion when setting up HIV testing policies and programs. These include not only the HIV testing and counseling process itself, but access to treatment and care, the healthcare infrastructure, stigma and discrimination reduction efforts at national, provincial and community levels, and an enabling legal and policy environment.

Keywords: AEGIS, Human Rights, Federal Government, Public Policy, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Confidentiality, Health Planning Guidelines, HIV Seropositivity, Counseling, Africa, Asia, Europe, Americas, Adolescence, Humans, organization & administration

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