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HIV Counselling and Testing

SFH developed the New Start HIV counseling and testing (CT) programme in partnership with the Government of South Africa (GOSA). New Start is funded by GOSA, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief and the Global Fund for Tuberculosis and Malaria. New Start is a franchise network that brings SFH and other local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) together to provide high quality HIV counseling and testing.

The objective of New Start CT is to increase the number of adult South Africans who know their HIV status. New Start aims to create consumer demand for CT through marketing and providing technical support to CT clinics. It also targets young adults, men and couples who are least likely to visit government clinics for testing.

Each New Start centre provides high quality, "no-names-taken" HIV counseling and testing for a subsidised R25 fee. In addition to CT services, each centre also operates a mobile CT programme that brings CT to communities, partner organisations and workplaces. New Start works with a variety of partners on CT communications and service provision, including Levis South Africa, the Anglican Church, provincial Departments of Health and numerous other organisations. Each New Start site has strong referral and outreach networks for post-test care and support and strict quality control through monitoring and evaluation. South Africa's national reference laboratory, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, provides quality assurance for testing procedures.

Key elements of SFH's CT social marketing franchise include:

• Standardised service delivery and protocols
• Common staff training
• Quality assurance to monitor compliance with standards and norms
• Ongoing technical support for CT clinics
• Communications and demand creation based on a unifying brand
• Strong management information systems and procedures

New Start is expanding throughout the country through non-profit franchising. Partner NGOs will receive technical, financial, quality assurance and training support from New Start. SFH also provides training on CT and provider-initiated counseling and testing.

Interested in learning more about New Start franchise opportunities for NGOs or provider-initiated counseling and testing training? Visit the New Start Website.