Coptic Hope Center
Ngong Road
P.O.Box 21570 Nairobi,Kenya
Phone: 254-272-5856
mattwa@copticmission.org
General Counseling!
Objectives
Counseling is one of the most important aspects of the comprehensive care offered by the Coptic hope center. Living with HIV carries deep stigma infected Kenyans and even their families. Therefore, the social and behavioral support offered by counselors' forms foundation upon which the other medical services lie.
The main objectives of the counseling department are to:
• Provide general support counseling and improve client emotional condition for such issues including stigma, coping with new diagnoses, discordant couples, disclosure etc.
• Describe the meaning and importance of adherence and the consequences of non-adherence.
• Develop effective strategies that promote adherence to ARV’s.
• Identify readiness to start ARV’s
Adherence Counseling
Adherence is defined as a patients ability to follow a treatment plan, take medications at prescribed times and frequencies and follow restrictions regarding food and other medications.
Once initiated, HAART is a lifelong treatment that consists of multiple medications to be taken two or three times a day varying dietary instructions. Adherence Counseling explains the medications that a patient receives and the possible side effects he or she may encounter. Strong adherence to medications is highly correlated with good clinical outcomes and low viral loads. Poor adherence can lead to inadequate viral suppression of replication, continued destruction of CD4 cells, progressive decline in immune function and disease progression. Non adherence, Non adherence is also the leading cause of viral resistance, when the virus mutates and develops a resistance to the medications causing the replication of strains in the body that cannot be treated. It has been proven that clients undergoing HAART are more likely to adhere if they are supported by a friend or family member in their therapy in the form of a treatment buddy. A treatment buddy, also referred to as treatment supporter, is an individual selected by the client to undergo adherence counseling with them. The treatment buddy is then fully informed on ART and can assist in making sure the client is taking the medications properly. The buddy will also be able to medicate the client provided the patient is ever unable to medicate themselves due to mental or physical instability. When a client is recommended for the HAART protocol, as in to begin antiretroviral therapy at our center, they must receive three sessions of Adherence Counseling. They are scheduled at various points in the protocol as specified below. At any stage of the adherence counseling is the counselor assesses that the client is not retaining the information properly, is in need of repeated counseling sessions, or is not ready to progress in the protocol, they are to repeat the adherence counseling rather than approve them forward. This is in the best interest of each client or care provider.
Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT)
Voluntary counseling and testing (V.C.T) for HIV is the process here an individual or a couple undergoes counseling to enable them to make an informed choice about being tested for HIV. The visit to the V.C.T. is strictly on a voluntary basis and includes pre and post test counseling in addition to the rapid testing. The visit is strictly confidential and under no circumstances can a counselor produce a letter or any written documentation of the client’s results. V.C.T. is available to outpatient and inpatient clients. It is an essential service provided for those who are unaware of their HIV status or feel the need to reconfirm their status. Clients should be advised to come with their partners or to suggest that their partners receive testing. Referrals should be made according to the results of the test concerning continued prevention or management of HIV/AIDS or necessary behavior modifications.
Counseling is one of the most important aspects of the comprehensive care offered by the Coptic hope center. Living with HIV carries deep stigma infected Kenyans and even their families. Therefore, the social and behavioral support offered by counselors' forms foundation upon which the other medical services lie.
The main objectives of the counseling department are to:
• Provide general support counseling and improve client emotional condition for such issues including stigma, coping with new diagnoses, discordant couples, disclosure etc.
• Describe the meaning and importance of adherence and the consequences of non-adherence.
• Develop effective strategies that promote adherence to ARV’s.
• Identify readiness to start ARV’s
Adherence Counseling
Adherence is defined as a patients ability to follow a treatment plan, take medications at prescribed times and frequencies and follow restrictions regarding food and other medications.
Once initiated, HAART is a lifelong treatment that consists of multiple medications to be taken two or three times a day varying dietary instructions. Adherence Counseling explains the medications that a patient receives and the possible side effects he or she may encounter. Strong adherence to medications is highly correlated with good clinical outcomes and low viral loads. Poor adherence can lead to inadequate viral suppression of replication, continued destruction of CD4 cells, progressive decline in immune function and disease progression. Non adherence, Non adherence is also the leading cause of viral resistance, when the virus mutates and develops a resistance to the medications causing the replication of strains in the body that cannot be treated. It has been proven that clients undergoing HAART are more likely to adhere if they are supported by a friend or family member in their therapy in the form of a treatment buddy. A treatment buddy, also referred to as treatment supporter, is an individual selected by the client to undergo adherence counseling with them. The treatment buddy is then fully informed on ART and can assist in making sure the client is taking the medications properly. The buddy will also be able to medicate the client provided the patient is ever unable to medicate themselves due to mental or physical instability. When a client is recommended for the HAART protocol, as in to begin antiretroviral therapy at our center, they must receive three sessions of Adherence Counseling. They are scheduled at various points in the protocol as specified below. At any stage of the adherence counseling is the counselor assesses that the client is not retaining the information properly, is in need of repeated counseling sessions, or is not ready to progress in the protocol, they are to repeat the adherence counseling rather than approve them forward. This is in the best interest of each client or care provider.
Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT)
Voluntary counseling and testing (V.C.T) for HIV is the process here an individual or a couple undergoes counseling to enable them to make an informed choice about being tested for HIV. The visit to the V.C.T. is strictly on a voluntary basis and includes pre and post test counseling in addition to the rapid testing. The visit is strictly confidential and under no circumstances can a counselor produce a letter or any written documentation of the client’s results. V.C.T. is available to outpatient and inpatient clients. It is an essential service provided for those who are unaware of their HIV status or feel the need to reconfirm their status. Clients should be advised to come with their partners or to suggest that their partners receive testing. Referrals should be made according to the results of the test concerning continued prevention or management of HIV/AIDS or necessary behavior modifications.
Now when the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness,and laying his hands on each one,he healed them.
Luke 4:40