OECS Secretariat, Castries St. Lucia, March 3, 2008: The OECS Secretariat, in collaboration with OECS Member countries is considering approaches towards further facilitating rapid testing for the prevention and  treatment of HIV/AIDS.

The task is for countries to bolster their testing and counseling services whereby pre-test counseling, the actual HIV Test, post-test counseling and the provision of test results can be done with a faster turn around time for the patient. Considerations are being made to assist countries in transitioning from the sole use of Eliza Tests to the use of Rapid Tests on a larger scale.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist says this is part of targets negotiated under the Global Fund agreement; Phase Two of which started in August 2007: “Timeliness for us is a major priority of phase two and we are working with countries to facilitate a transition to the use of Rapid Tests. Test kits are being funded and provided through the Caribbean Regional Epidemiology Centre. With support from the Global Fund we will be assisting countries to further to look at how again to help shorten the turn around time by the increased use of these Rapid Tests and to make testing counseling services in general more accessible as well as appealing to those who are accessing those services.”-Smith