June 2014 — To increase access to and use of HIV testing and counseling (HTC), FHI 360 and the Uganda Ministry of Health developed an innovative model to add HTC services to the family planning services provided by government-endorsed community health workers, known as village health teams (VHTs), in two districts in Uganda.
A research brief, Delivery of Integrated Family Planning and HIV Testing and Counseling Services by Village Health Teams, summarizes findings from an evaluation of the model. The findings indicate that it is feasible to implement the model and acceptable to VHTs and their clients as a means of delivering counseling messages and expanding testing.
A training manual and provider job aid, Integrated Community-based Family Planning and HIV Testing and Counseling: Training Curriculum for Uganda Village Health Teams, supports stakeholders interested in future replication or scale-up of the model. The manual was a collaborative effort of the Uganda Ministry of Health and FHI 360 and was updated to incorporate lessons learned. It presents core training components for equipping community-based health workers already providing family planning services (including injectable contraceptives) to also provide high-quality HTC.
