Model VCTC (Voluntary Counselling
and Testing Centre) a KEM and MDACS project funded by WHO has been recognized
as a centre of excellence by NACO and WHO
This has been brought about
by the combined efforts of all the staff and a dedication to do their best towards
patient care and convenience.
A special effort has been made to improve
the quality in counselling, testing and care.
To improve the quality
in counselling, psychiatry department at KEMH has been involved. All counsellors
posted at KEMH for various HIV/AIDS activities are now supervised. Posters and
signages advertising VCTC have been put up across the campus. Also, infrastructure
rearrangement has been done to make the centre client friendly and to maintain
privacy and confidentiality of the client. The various counselling services provided
at the VCTC are now being documented on a daily basis. Analysis of this data has
led to a better understanding of the client profile and their needs. Operational
research has been conducted to understand and improve the working of the VCTC.
Staff of VCTC has also made documents on consent and confidentiality. This has
led to an increase in the uptake of VCTC services.
To improve the quality
in testing, standard operating procedures have been developed for counsellors,
technicians and other staff. Specific responsibilities have been documented and
assigned to each and every staff member. Also, efforts have been made to boost
staff morale. Regular meetings between staff have increased co-ordination and
co-operation. This has led to a better and healthy working environment and eventually
better client compliance as seen by the increase in the number of clients coming
for post test counselling.
To improve the quality in care, linkages
with other HIV/AIDS activities and RNTCP within and outside KEM hospital have
been strengthened. Considering the increased workload at VCTC and need based management
of the clients, follow up of PLHA is being done at the Drop-in-Centre. Also, comprehensive
laboratory services have been started for PLHA and blood collection for all investigations
is done at VCTC. This has reduced repeated visits to the hospital and multiple
pricks, a service highly appreciated by the clients. This has led to an increase
in the number of clients coming for follow up.
The centre has served
as a training/ demonstration site for staff from 26 VCTCs in Mumbai and 14 VCTCs
in Maharashtra. The participants were given practical insight into the functioning
of the VCTC by exposing them to daily functioning- procedures and processes followed.
Material developed through model VCTC was also shared with them.
A visit
to Model VCTC KEMH has also become a must for every visitor coming to Mumbai with
regards to HIV/AIDS activities; be it from UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, NACO, SACS
or Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Various teams from the above mentioned agencies
have visited our centre during the last one year. |
