- Ghana has begun a program called HIV Self-Testing (HIVST) that intends to provide citizens the power to check their HIV status in the privacy and comfort of their homes. The oral HIV self-test is a significant approach among the several possibilities provided by this program. This method entails utilizing a specialized oral swab to swab the upper and lower gums.
- The test findings are made known after the swab has been submerged in a test tube solution for 20 minutes. Negative results are represented by a single line, whereas positive results are represented by two lines. To guarantee accuracy and appropriate follow-up care, it is essential to remember that if the test results in a reactive response, it must be verified in a medical facility.
- More than 350,000 people in Ghana are now living with HIV, according to the Ghana Aids Commission. Surprisingly, only 71% of them know if they are HIV positive. This initiative is ideally positioned to play a critical role in lowering new infections and improving general public health in the nation by providing a simple and private means to find out one’s HIV status.
- The price of the HIV self-test kit may vary depending on the type, brand and seller. According to some online sources, the price range can be from GHC 39.50 to GHC 220 per kit. However, you may need to confirm the availability and accuracy of these kits before purchasing them. Alternatively, you can get free HIV testing at any health facility in Ghana.
- The kind, quality, and brand of the kit, as well as how well you adhere to the instructions, may affect how accurate the HIV self-test kits are. Generally speaking, HIV self-test kits have a sensitivity of 99.3% and a specificity of 99.8% for identifying HIV, making them extremely accurate and dependable.
- This indicates that 99.3% of the time the test properly detects HIV-positive individuals and 99.8% of the time HIV-negative cases. However, because self-tests only detect HIV antibodies and not the p24 antigen that manifests sooner after infection, they are often more effective at diagnosing long-standing infections than new ones.
- Self-tests therefore have longer window periods than other tests (the time after infection when testing may not identify indicators of infection). Self-testing windows may be open for up to three months.
- To guarantee accuracy and appropriate follow-up care, it is crucial to keep in mind that if the self-test result is reactive (positive), it must be verified by a different test in a medical facility. There is a chance that a reactive response might be a false positive as a consequence of cross-reactions with other chemicals in your body, therefore it’s not always a sign that you have HIV.
- The same is true for a negative test result—there might be false negatives as a result of testing too soon after exposure or having insufficient antibodies in your sample. Therefore, if you have any worries about the results, you should always repeat the test after three months or seek expert testing.
