HIVST empowers people to know their status, and the huge potential offered by this new tool to improve access to patient-centred testing should be grabbed with both hands. At present, HIVST can act as a screening tool to minimize the time people need to spend at healthcare services, or be done in the privacy of one’s own home with people referring themselves to care if they test HIV-positive. The finalization of South Africa’s next National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs (2017-2022) should set high ambitions for the introduction and availability of self-tests over the next five years.
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