Evaluation of HIV voluntary counselling and testing services in Egypt. Part 2: service providers' satisfaction

ABSTRACT

Voluntary counselling and testing [VCT] services are major components of HIV prevention and treatment efforts. A study in Egypt aimed to determine the satisfaction of service providers at VCTs to identify strengths and weaknesses in the service. Direct interviews with all 50 VCT team members and focus group discussions with 16 counsellors showed that the majority believed that they had received enough training [90%], but still 66% wanted further training. Only 50% reported receiving sufficient incentives. Problems that were highlighted included absence of a fixed job description, lack of administrative support, unclear working rules and regulations and lack of proper community awareness. Counsellors expressed the need for improving working environment to ensure privacy and confidentiality