The training of therapeutic counsellors began with the work of the Sizophila counselling project at the Hannan Crusaid Clinic in 2002, in which HIV positive patients were trained as peer counsellors to provide adherence and social support for patients at the antiretroviral treatment centre.
The success of this project lead to numerous requests for counsellor training. A formal course has been developed, consisting of an introductory week for those without basic counselling and HIV training and a further two weeks of advanced instruction specifically for HIV therapeutic counsellors. A separate three day intensive ARV training course is available for Community Health Workers.
The course curriculum contains modules on:
- Prevention of HIV
- The Human Immune System
- HIV Progression and Staging
- Opportunistic Diseases
- An Introduction to Antiretrovirals
- Antiretroviral Drugs and the Side Effects and Adherence Strategies.
