How does one get tested for HIV? Does one have to go to a special clinic, lab or something of that sort?

Dear Want-to-Get-Tested,

 

There are two ways to get tested for HIV. You can either go to a clinic or lab in your area or you can order a HIV kit at your home. What the kit does is help you collect your blood sample which you send to a lab for HIV testing. After 7 days or so, you can get your results by calling the automated system. This is ideal for people who are concerned about their privacy, but it can be a bit costly; it’s about $50 (Nrs. 3,500) with shipping and handling for a kit. For more information, type home kit HIV on your search engine or checkout this site: http://www.homehealth-uk.com/index.html. Note that some labs may not send the kit overseas or may have restrictions. With Nepal’s poor mailing system, perhaps the best route would be to get tested at a local clinic or lab. There are plenty of private clinics where you can get tested or you can check out the National Center for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC) in Teku, Kathmandu. If you live outside of the valley, you should be able to find VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing) services in most health posts in Nepal or at least they will be able to direct you to one. Below is the contact detail for the NCASC at Teku.

 

National Centre for AIDS and STD Control

Teku, Kathmandu
T/ +977-1- 42616523, 4262753, 4258219
F/ +977-1- 4261406
E/ ncasc@mos.com.np

W/ www.ncasc.gov.np