It’s quick, he said, and confidential. There’s no finger prick and no travel involved. In fact, the test can be conducted anytime — even right here and now.
Henry Makhasu, a 19-year-old community health worker, sat cross-legged on a straw mat outside the home of a married couple in their late 20s in the Neno District outside of Blantryre, Malawi. They watched intently as Makhasu demonstrated how to use an HIV self-testing packet: first setting up the test tube, then showing which parts of the gums to swab before inserting the test stick into the liquid for 20 minutes. One line in the test stick window indicates a negative result, he explained. Two means positive.
By the time he prompted them to try it themselves if they wished, both carefully tore their packets open and completed the process expertly — all without glancing at the small, folded instruction sheet included inside.
About the author
Kelli Rogers@kellierin
Kelli Rogers has worked as an Associate Editor and Southeast Asia Correspondent for Devex, with a particular focus on gender. Prior to that, she reported on social and environmental issues from Nairobi, Kenya. Kelli holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, and has reported from more than 20 countries.