WHO issues new guidance on HIV self-testing

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released new guidelines on HIV self-testing to improve access to and uptake of HIV diagnosis.

According to a new WHO progress report lack of an HIV diagnosis is a major obstacle to implementing the Organization's recommendation that everyone with HIV should be offered antiretroviral therapy (ART).

"By offering HIV self-testing, we can empower people to find out their own HIV status and also to notify their partners and encourage them to get tested as well," Director of WHO's Department of HIV,  Dr Gottfried Hirnschall said, according to a press release issued from Geneva Tuesday.

"This should lead to more people knowing their status and being able to act upon it. Self-testing will be particularly relevant for those people who may find it difficult to access testing in clinical settings and might prefer self-testing as their method of choice," Hirnschall said.

WHO supports free distribution of HIV self-test kits and other approaches that allow self-test kits to be bought at affordable prices.

HIV testing coverage, according to WHO, remains low among various population groups noting that for example, global coverage rates for all HIV testing, prevention, and treatment are lower among men than women.

"Men account for only 30% of people who have tested for HIV. As a result, men with HIV are less likely to be diagnosed and put on antiretroviral treatment and are more likely to die of HIV-related causes than women."

WHO progress report revealed that more than 18 million people with HIV are currently taking ART, and a similar number is still unable to access treatment, the majority of which are unaware of their HIV positive status.

"Today, 40% of all people with HIV (over 14 million) remain unaware of their status. Many of these are people at higher risk of HIV infection who often find it difficult to access existing testing services."

"Millions of people with HIV are still missing out on life-saving treatment, which can also prevent HIV transmission to others," said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General adding that  "HIV self-testing should open the door for many more people to know their HIV status and find out how to get treatment and access prevention services."

HIV self-testing means people can use oral fluid or blood- finger-pricks to discover their status in a private and convenient setting. Results are ready within 20 minutes or less. Those with positive results are advised to seek confirmatory tests at health clinics. WHO recommends they receive information and links to counselling as well as rapid referral to prevention, treatment and care services.

"HIV self-testing is a way to reach more people with undiagnosed HIV and represents a step forward to empower individuals, diagnose people earlier before they become sick, bring services closer to where people live, and create demand for HIV testing. This is particularly important for those people facing barriers to accessing existing services," the organization said.