The Centre for Global Health Research, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research (MAHER), successfully organized a two-day online HIV Testing and Counselling Training (HTCT) Certification Program on 25th and 26th March 2026.
The programme was designed for healthcare professionals working in hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, and blood banks that are accredited or seeking accreditation under NABL (ISO 15189:2022) and NABH standards. It aimed to strengthen competencies in HIV testing, counselling, and adherence to national and international guidelines.
The training sessions focused on key areas including NABL-112A/B guidelines, National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) protocols, provisions of the AIDS Bill 2017, occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and the legal and ethical aspects of HIV testing and counselling.
A total of 81 professionals from across 11 states in India participated in the programme, including pathologists, microbiologists, medical officers, nurses, laboratory technicians, and social workers. The sessions were led by eminent resource persons including Dr. Pachamuthu Balakrishnan (MAHER), Dr. V. H. T. Swamy, Dr. Srirama Rao, Ms. Chaithra Nair from Asha Kirana HIV Hospital and Research Centre, Mysuru, and Dr. Sree T. Sucharitha from Kairo Kinetics, Chennai.
The interactive sessions facilitated active engagement, knowledge exchange, and clarification of practical challenges faced in HIV-related services, making the programme comprehensive and practice-oriented.
This training significantly enhanced participants’ technical knowledge, counselling skills, and understanding of ethical and regulatory frameworks, strengthening their capacity to deliver quality HIV testing and care services in diverse healthcare settings.