Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The human resource shortage in Zambia is placing a heavy burden on the few health care workers available at health facilities.
The Zambia Prevention, Care and Treatment Partnership began training and placing community volunteers as lay counsellors in order to complement the efforts of the health care workers in providing HIV counselling and testing services.
These volunteers are trained using the standard national counselling and testing curriculum. This study was conducted to review the effectiveness of lay counsellors in addressing staff shortages and the provision of HIV counselling and testing services. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by means of semistructured interviews from all active lay counsellors in each of the facilities and a facility manager or counselling supervisor overseeing counseling and testing services and clients.
At each of the 10 selected facilities, all counselling and testing record books for the month of May were examined and any recordkeeping errors were tallied by cadre.
Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions with health care workers at each facility. Lay counsellors provide counselling and testing services of quality and relieve the workload of overstretched health care workers. Facility managers recognize and appreciate the services provided by lay counsellors.
