Care and Treatment Clinic (CTC) – PST06102 Counselling and Guidance
NTA Level 6 • Semester 1 • PST06102 Care and Treatment Clinic (CTC) Counselling and Guidance • Source Session/Topic 10 Full source-text version: all educational wording from the extracted learning source is retained; only presenter/tutor metadata and web-layout noise are removed, while formatting is improved for readability. PST 06102 : Counselling and Guidance Session 10 : Care and treatment Clinic (CTC) 1 Learning tasks By the end of this session students are expected to be able to: Explain Concept of care and treatment Clinic (CTC) Identify core elements of HIV preventions, treatment and support at CTC Explain organization of care and treatment services 2 Introduction to Care and Treatment Clinic (CTC) Is a National Plan which was launched in 2004 for Tanzania mainland , with the aim of providing quality care, Education, Counseling and guidance and treatment for all people living with HIV/AIDS ( PLHIV). CTC have been set up, in both public and private hospitals, and in referral hospitals down to health centers and dispensaries, throughout Tanzania. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Care and Treatment Clinics (CTC) in hospitals have been developed based upon various National Guidelines, the SOP outline the procedures in a standardized manner on how to operate the set down objectives of the programme. 3 CTC is an integral part of the delivery of care and treatment made to ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation of the stated programme takes place in one roof, Data collected from CTC , as well as data from other sources of the programme like Inpatient, are made useful to inform about progress in delivering the services to Patient Living with HIV (PLHIV), and on the impact these services have on the lives of patients that access them. Core goals for management of HIV in CTC are ; maximal suppression of viral replication and promotion of immune reconstitution through combination antiretroviral therapy and promoting long-term adherence, avoiding drug interactions, minimizing toxic effects, simplifying treatment regimens , decreasing drug costs, managing comorbid conditions, and preventing transmission of HIV by achieving undetectable viral load WHO promotes a comprehensive approach to the management of people living with HIV that addresses the individual‘s full range of health related needs, many of which may change during his or her lifetime. 4 What are the core elements of HIV prevention, treatment and support at CTC? 5 Core Elements of HIV Prevention, Treatment and Support at CTC The core elements of HIV prevention, treatment and support that need to be available within CTC services at any level include This includes the following : Education about behavioral risks and condom use for infected people Orientation on care and treatment services available in hospital and district Education and regular counselling on life-long disease management, and in particular on treatment adherence Education and counselling on actions that may delay progression of disease and reduce comorbidities; for example, addressing nutrition, food safety, clean water and use of insecticide treated bed-nets 6 Early identification and management of co-morbidities such as TB Prophylaxis for OIs and cancers including Cotrimoxazole , TB preventive therapy and cervical screening Assessing eligibility for ART i.e. clinical staging, social eligibility and CD4 counts Effective referrals to essential hospital services such as antenatal clinics for MTCT, family planning advice before and while on ART, STI or other specialized clinics Recording and reporting according to the established electronic and paper based system Registration and appointment systems for effective treatment continuation and preventing missed appointments Referral to community services such as HBC, social welfare and legal support 7 Prophylaxis for OIs and cancers including Co- trimoxazole , TB preventive therapy and cervical screening Assessing eligibility for ART i.e. clinical staging, social eligibility and CD4 counts Effective referrals to essential hospital services such as antenatal clinics for MTCT, family planning advice before and while on ART, STI or other specialized clinics Recording and reporting according to the established electronic and paper based system Registration and appointment systems for effective treatment continuation and preventing missed appointments Referral to community services such as HBC, social welfare and legal support In order to provide effective and quality HIV and AIDS Care and Treatment, service delivery needs to be organized in a manner to ensure efficiency, user friendliness, and regular, standardized follow up. Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives are a helpful tool in this regard 8 Organization of Care and Treatment Services The organization of care and treatment services at (CTC) is, patient visit plan, adherence management and life style counseling, medical record system and reporting 1. Patient visit plan At the initial clinic visit, a triage nurse will assess patient‘s needs, register basic information on reliable patient demographics and contact information, issue relevant forms such as CTC1 , CTC2 and the TB screening tool, weigh the patient, and direct her/him to relevant sites . o Patients who are recommended for and agree to initiate therapy will meet with pharmaceutical personnel for counseling and guidance on ARVs and other related medicines ; they will discuss adherence, medication dosages and adverse reaction management . o Patients will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment in two weeks, then monthly for the first six months, depending on assessment by the clinician and pharmaceutical personnel on the status of a patient on ART o When patient is clinically stable, with good adherence for at least the first six months or more to ART regimen, and no history of drug toxicity or recurrent OI, s/he may be given an appointment of two months hence or more, as agreed between the clinician, pharmaceutical personnel and the patient. o All patients are advised to come into the CTC immediately before their condition deteriorates prior to their next scheduled visit. 9 2. Adherence Management and Lifestyle Counselling; Adherence to preventive therapies, TB treatment and ARVs are important factors in ensuring better health outcomes. Patients in long term therapy or prophylaxis, including ARV treatment, are strongly encouraged to identify an adherence/treatment assistant. This can be any person (e.g. a family member, friend, colleague, or community member)