Guyana's Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) program provides standardized training to counselors and testers, operates VCT outlets to provide counseling and testing services, and has referral systems in place. It conducts key awareness and testing activities including quarterly feedback meetings, Valentine's Day promotions for couples, a National Week of Testing, and events on World AIDS Day. The VCT program faces ongoing challenges and seeks to implement recommendations to improve quality of services.

1. Guyana’s Voluntary Counseling
Testing Program
Lynette Hardy

2. Outline
 Overview
 History
 National VCT committee
 National VCT guidelines
 Standardized training
o Counselling
o Testing
 VCT Outlets
 Referral System
 Quality Assurance
 Activities
 Challenges
 Recommendations

3. Overview

4. VCT History

5. VCT Committee

6. VCT Guidelines

7. Training (Counseling) 1

8. Training (Counseling) 2

9. Training (Counseling) 3

10. Training (Counseling) 4

11. Training (Counseling) 5

12. Training (Testing) 1

13. Training (Testing) 2

14. Training (Testing) 3

15. Training (Testing) 4

16. Training (Testing) 5

17. Traditional VCT Service Outlets

18. Non-traditional VCT Service
Outlets

19. Referral System - Client

20. Referral System - Partner

21. Quality Assurance

22. Key Activities
 Quarterly feed back meetings
 Valentine’s day (VCT for couples)
 National day/week of testing
 World AIDS Day
 Ongoing public awareness

23. Feedback meeting
 Convened quarterly
 Programme achievements disseminated
 Feedback provided to implementing
personnel
 Use of strategic information promoted to
improve the quality of services
 Effectiveness of the program discussed

24. Valentine’s Day Promotion
 Couples counseling and testing
 “Test of love” wristband distribution
 Each couple participates in a raffle
 Prize of a romantic dinner

25. National Week of Testing

26. National Week of Testing -Themes

27. National Week of Testing - Targets

28. World AIDS Day

29. Challenges

30. Recommendations

31. Thank You