Press Release: Statement on HIV Testing

President Clinton believes that as governments increase access to HIV treatment, it is extremely important for them to also increase their investment in testing programs. He is concerned that 90% of people living with HIV/AIDS— some 35 million people— don't know their serostatus and worries about the implications of that on their health and behavior.

Several programs have committed to universal, opt-out testing, where patients presenting for routine health care undergo HIV testing unless they specifically request otherwise. Universal opt-out testing was adopted in Botswana in 2004, and has the overwhelming support of Botswana's citizens. Recently, the US Centers for Disease Control also came out in support of universal, opt-out testing. President Clinton believes that governments in other high-prevalence countries should rethink their testing strategies so that they are more active in fighting the epidemic.

He is extremely impressed with the Lesotho government's commitment to offer counseling and testing services to every citizen by the end of 2007 through their “Know Your Status” campaign. The approach that Lesotho has taken is impressive both because it is appropriately ambitious and because the government is reaching out to individuals to encourage them to be tested rather than relying on the individual to access the healthcare system. They are also taking practical steps to achieve their goals (for example, training several thousand community healthcare workers, and considering door-to-door testing).

President Clinton believes that as countries implement more aggressive testing programs they need to ensure that there are anti-discrimination policies and adequate counseling and training programs in place so that stigma is reduced and that there are treatment options available for those who need it.

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