A Cost Description of HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Models in South Africa

South Africa’s National Strategic Plan for 2011-2016 (NSP) aims to see a halving of HIV incidence over this period, and a realisation of 80% HIV treatment coverage, or 3 million patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The realisation of these goals relies on increased and equitable access to and uptake of HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT). Achieving sustained high levels of HCT in turn requires accurate cost data from which budgeting decisions can be extrapolated. Although a number of studies have estimated the cost of HCT provision in developed country settings, there is limited current cost data available for sub-Saharan Africa.  This study will undertake to provide an accurate and informative description of current HCT models and to estimate the average cost of HCT per patient.