Daniel Holds Nevis Island’s HIV/AIDS VCT Policy
Charlestown, Nevis
December 17, 2008
Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Hensley Daniel along with the HIV/AIDS unit today conducted Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) sessions for the second time this year to residents of Nevis.
In an interview at his office, the Health Minister gave an overview of the event.
“Here in St. Kitts and Nevis, the purpose of the policy is to standardize the procedural and ethical conditions under which testing for HIV can occur in St. Kitts and Nevis,” he said.
Minister Daniel spoke of the many goals of VCT which included implementing coping and acceptance strategies, promoting planning for future orphan care and preparation, reducing mother to child transmission, normalizing HIV/AIDS and reducing stigma, facilitating referral to social and peer support, enabling preventive therapy and contraceptive advice and promoting early management of opportunistic infections and sexually transmitted infections.