Since confidentiality and privacy are essential, a separate consulting room may be utilised as the AIDS Resource Centre in a pharmacy. The AIDS Resource Centre must have similar equipment to a consultation area room for the performance of supplementary services (refer 1.2.13 of this manual).
| 2.24.2 | Services that may be performed in an AIDS resource centre in a pharmacy |
| (a) | Prevention, which could include— |
| (i) | the promotion of safe and healthy sexual behaviour; |
| (ii) | the management and control of STIs, in accordance with guidelines of the Department of Health in this regard; |
| (iii) | the provision of antiretroviral therapy to reduce mother- to-child transmission (MTCT), in accordance with the Medicines Act; |
| (iv) | the provision of appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis, in accordance with the Medicines Act and the guidelines of the Department of Health in this regard; |
| (v) | HIV testing and counselling to improve access to voluntary testing and counselling. |
| (b) | Treatment, care and support, which could include— |
| (i) | the provision of treatment, care and support services, in accordance with guidelines of the Department of Health in this regard and the provisions of the Medicines Act; |
| (ii) | assistance with research, monitoring and surveillance; |
| (iii) | routine surveillance. |
| (c) | Pharmacists must in all instances be adequately trained and sufficiently experienced in providing the services concerned. |
| (a) | Pharmacists must ensure that the dignity of the patient is maintained. |
| (b) | Pharmacists must ensure that patients' rights are maintained. |
| (c) | Pharmacists must ensure that confidentiality is maintained throughout treatment. |
