The World Health Organization (WHO) announced PITC recommendations earlier this year to expand HIV testing in public health care settings in order to inform more people of their status and provide timely treatment for those who test positive, while preventing new infections from spreading. The initiative calls for doctors to urge all patients to undergo HIV testing and counseling with an “opt out” clause to decline testing.

APN+ welcomed the objectives of the new recommendations, but reproached national AIDS programs in the region for inadequate HIV training for public health care providers, failure to combat HIV stigma and discrimination in the health sector, and the shortage of funding for treatment services, including access to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. The regional advocacy network also stressed that community involvement, especially HIV positive peer education, is imperative in pre and post HIV counseling services.

“Informed consent for HIV counseling and testing can only become a reality through a continues evolution of addressing the fear faced by the vulnerable populations accessing services in often intimidating health care settings where they don’t dare ask questions.“ said Shiba Phurailatpam, APN+ Regional Coordinator.

APN+ expressed concern over continued human rights violations against HIV positive people by public health workers through coerced HIV testing without proper counseling, disclosure of status to third parties including employers, delays in provision of services and in extreme cases, abortion or sterilization advice for pregnant women who test positive.

Mr. Phurailatpam stated that before the roll out of PITC programs governments must address the “unacceptable gap” in providing ARVs. Currently only 19% of the people who need ARV are recieving it in the Asia and the Pacific Region. He also urged governments to be more proactive in exploring compulsory licensing and patent issues for more affordable HIV drugs.

Mr. Vince Cristomo, 7 sisters Regional Coordinator urged the international AIDS community to partner with civil society groups “Engaging positive people in HIV policy planning is an invaluable human resource of experiential knowledge that must be drawn upon.”