ROM and Ministry of Health at Regional Recency testing refresher training
In partnership with the Ministry of Health, Reach Out Mbuya Community Health Initiative (ROM) conducted a five-day training on HIV recency testing for over 55 facility-based HIV testing and counselling providers, laboratory staff, nurses, counsellors, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) personnel. Participants gained comprehensive knowledge and skills in counselling for recency testing procedures, recency protocols, and data management, ensuring they are equipped with the latest best practices in HIV care and treatment.
The training aimed to enhance the participants’ capacity to effectively implement recency testing in their respective health facilities. This critical intervention helps identify recent HIV infections (within the past 6-12 months), guiding targeted prevention efforts through provision of a Public Health response & stop ongoing transmission of HIV infections and evaluating program effectiveness.
The Kampala HIV Mechanism—a collaboration between ROM, the Ministry of Health, U.S.CDC, and civil society organizations—spearheaded this initiative to accelerate HIV prevention and control in the region. The training modules covered diverse topics which included: Basics of HIV Recency Testing, Counselling for Recency Testing, Testing Procedures and Results Interpretation, Quality Assurance and Control, M&E for Recency Testing, Data Collection, Management, and HIV Recency Indicators.
Participants expressed their gratitude for the training, noting its value in enhancing their understanding of the importance of recency testing in combating HIV.
“This training has broadened my knowledge of why we conduct recency tests. I thought it was just a study, but I now understand it is a Ministry of Health program. With this, we can identify new HIV infections, enabling the Ministry to strengthen efforts in highly burdened communities. I am grateful to ROM and the Ministry of Health for this innovation. There is a need to ensure all laboratory employees receive such refresher trainings,” said Khalifa Malinga, a Laboratory Technician at Kisugu Health Centre III.
Participants during the Recency testing training in September 2024.
