HIV Self Test Kit: A Private Fingerprick Test With a Result in 20 Minutes
This HIV self test kit helps you end the worry of not knowing, at home, with nobody else in the room and nobody to explain yourself to. One small drop of blood from a fingertip, 20 minutes, and you have a result you can act on.
The kit is a Diagnos SureTest HIV 1/2 one-step cassette, and it detects antibodies to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 in fingerprick whole blood. Everything needed comes in the box. The result appears as lines in a window, the same way a pregnancy test reads, and the whole process takes about 20 minutes from pricking your finger to reading it. Our pharmacist will talk you through it before you leave, or on the phone after delivery, as quietly as you like.
What Your HIV Self Test Kit Result Means
A NON-REACTIVE result means that antibodies to HIV were absent from your sample. For exposures older than 3 months, that is a reliable answer. For anything more recent, read the window period section below, because antibodies take time to appear and a very recent infection may still be building.
A REACTIVE result means the test has found something, and it is a screening result rather than a diagnosis. In Kenya a reactive self-test always requires confirmation at a health facility, where three consecutive tests are run to the national algorithm before anybody is told they have HIV. Screening tests produce some false alarms, and plenty of people who get a reactive self-test turn out to be negative on confirmation.
So if your result is reactive, ring us and ask for our doctor, and come in the same day. We will arrange the confirmatory testing, and if it is confirmed we will get you started on treatment and into care. People who start treatment early live a normal lifespan, and reach a point where the virus becomes undetectable and untransmittable to a partner. That is the reason this matters within days rather than weeks.
An INVALID result, where the control line stays blank, happens often enough to plan for. It means the test has failed rather than anything about you, and it needs a fresh kit. Even the best self-tests have a share of users who get no readable result first time, so order 2 if you would rather have a spare.
When to Test: the Window Period
The window period is the gap between catching HIV and a test being able to see it. Antibody tests of this kind, including every self-test on the market, detect infection between 23 and 90 days after exposure. Many people show up well before 90 days, and some take the full 3 months.
So the practical rule is this. Test now for peace of mind about anything in the past. If you have a specific exposure in mind, test again at 4 weeks, and then once more at 3 months to be certain. If both are non-reactive and there has been no further risk, you have your answer.
Early infection is also the most infectious period, so the gap matters to a partner as well as to you. Faster tests exist: a laboratory antigen-antibody test picks up infection from about 18 to 45 days, and a nucleic acid test from about 10 to 33 days. Our doctor can arrange either, which is the honest answer for somebody who had a risk two weeks ago.
If the Exposure Was Within the Last 72 Hours
Then testing is the wrong first step. A test taken days after an exposure reflects your status before it, so it answers the old question rather than the new one.
What matters in that window is PEP, post-exposure prophylaxis: a 28-day course of antiretroviral medicine that can stop an exposure becoming an infection. Kenyan national guidelines say PEP should start as soon as possible and within 72 hours of a high-risk exposure, and every hour counts, so same-day is far better than third-day. After 72 hours the window closes.
If that applies to you, ring us now and ask for our doctor rather than ordering a test. PEP requires a prescription and a baseline HIV test, and our doctor can assess you, test you and prescribe. This applies after a condom breaking, a sexual assault, a needlestick injury, or sex you are worried about. Please ask rather than wait, including at a weekend. Nobody here will question you about it.
How to Take the Test Properly
Read the leaflet before you open anything and lay the pieces on a clean flat surface. Wash and dry your hands, and warm them if they are cold, because cold fingers give up a drop of blood reluctantly.
Wipe the side of a fingertip with the alcohol swab and let it dry fully. Prick the side rather than the pad, which hurts less and bleeds more willingly. Let a drop form on its own rather than squeezing hard, since squeezing dilutes the sample with tissue fluid and is a common reason for a failed result. Transfer the sample to the well exactly as the leaflet shows, add the buffer drops, and set a timer.
Read it at the time the leaflet states, which is around 20 minutes, and ignore anything that appears afterwards. A faint line is still a line and counts as reactive. Dispose of the lancet carefully where nobody can be pricked by it, and bring it to us if you would rather it went into our sharps bin. If you are at all unsure what you are looking at, photograph the window and ring our pharmacist.
Staying Negative After a Negative Result
How often to test again depends on your life rather than a calendar. Kenyan guidance suggests testing once a year for most adults, every 3 months for anybody at ongoing risk, and again at 4 weeks after any new exposure that worries you. Pregnancy brings its own schedule, and our doctor will set it with you.
For prevention between tests, Trust ribbed condoms remain the most effective single measure, and using them with KLY lubricating jelly rather than an oil-based product makes tearing far less likely, which is the usual way a condom fails.
And ask us about PrEP. Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a daily tablet taken by somebody who is HIV-negative to stay that way, and it is available in Kenya from age 15 for people at substantial ongoing risk, including anybody whose partner is living with HIV. It requires a negative test to start, a check at the first month and testing every 3 months after that. Our doctor can assess you and prescribe. If you find yourself buying a test kit repeatedly because you are worried, PrEP is the conversation to have instead.
Is an HIV Self Test Right for You?
This is a screening test for use at home, and there are situations where something else serves you better. Please ring us and ask for our doctor if any of these apply:
- Your exposure was within the last 72 hours. PEP is the priority and the window closes at 72 hours. Ring us today rather than ordering a test.
- You are already taking HIV medicines. Self-tests are unreliable for people on antiretroviral treatment and may read non-reactive. Your clinic monitors you with a viral load test instead.
- You have a fever, rash, sore throat or swollen glands 2 to 4 weeks after a risk. That pattern can be early HIV infection, which antibody tests may miss. Our doctor can arrange a test that detects it sooner.
- Your result is reactive. Come in the same day. Confirmation at a facility is required before anybody has a diagnosis, and we will arrange it.
- You are under 18. Testing is still your right, and our doctor will support you through it properly rather than leaving you alone with a result.
- You are testing because a partner pressured you, or you feel unsafe about the result. Ring us first. We will talk it through with you before you open the box.
Testing is a normal part of looking after yourself, and most people who test are negative. Our pharmacist and our doctor are here for the part before and the part after, which is what a kit bought off a shelf leaves out.
Where to Buy an HIV Self Test Kit in Kenya
Order online and we deliver countrywide, or collect from our pharmacy at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. We send orders to Nairobi and every neighbourhood around it — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Rosslyn, Kitisuru, Lower Kabete, Lavington, Kileleshwa, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Buruburu, Donholm, Embakasi, Ngong Road, Kasarani, Roysambu, Zimmerman, Githurai, Ruaka, Banana Hill, Two Rivers, Village Market and Pride Lands — and across Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru and Ngong.
Beyond the capital we deliver to Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Athi River, Kitengela, Kajiado, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Siaya, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Webuye, Kitale, Nandi Hills, Iten, Kapenguria, Embu, Meru, Chuka, Kerugoya, Murang’a, Othaya, Nyahururu, Nanyuki, Maralal, Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Mwingi, Makueni, Emali, Kibwezi, Voi, Taveta, Wundanyi, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi, Lamu and Hola. Every order travels in plain outer packaging with nothing on the outside to say what is inside, and the delivery note carries our name and no product description. The rider is told a parcel and an address, nothing more. If collection suits you better, tell us and we will set it aside under a first name only, and hand it over without a word said across the counter.
Across Africa, ask us before you order. We have sent orders to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and as far as Malawi, and we will quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of the continent. Tell us the destination and we will confirm any import paperwork before the parcel leaves us.
Living abroad? Order from wherever you are and we deliver here in Kenya. Kenyans in the UK, the United States, Canada, South Africa and the Gulf order from us regularly, often for a relative who would rather test at home than walk into a clinic locally. Tell our pharmacist how many you want and we will suggest a quantity, since ordering 2 covers a failed test or a retest at 3 months without a second delivery.
Why Buy Your HIV Self Test Kit from HealthAlone Kenya?
HealthAlone is a pharmacist-led health ecosystem licensed by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and our stock is original, sealed, in date and correctly stored. Kahawa Sukari is a real counter with real pharmacists behind it.
The difference between buying a test from us and buying one off a shelf is everything that surrounds it. Our pharmacist will show you how to take it so you get a readable result first time. Our doctor is here for the two moments that matter most: within 72 hours of an exposure, when PEP can stop an infection before it starts, and the moment a result comes back reactive, when confirmation and treatment need to begin the same day rather than next month. We also prescribe PrEP for people who would rather stay ahead of this than keep testing.
Nothing said to us goes anywhere else. Nobody at this counter is uncomfortable with the conversation, and nobody will make you feel awkward having it.
It is one more step in our vision: building Africa’s most trusted health ecosystem, accessible to everyone, everywhere.
FAQs
How accurate is the HIV self test kit?
Modern HIV self-tests are highly accurate when taken correctly and at the right time, and the two things that undo them are testing too early and taking the sample badly rather than any fault in the test. For the exact sensitivity and specificity figures printed in this kit’s own leaflet, please ask our pharmacist and we will read them to you from the pack. What matters more in practice: a non-reactive result is reliable for exposures older than 3 months, and a reactive result is a screening result that must be confirmed at a health facility before it means anything.
How long after exposure should I test?
Antibody tests, which includes every HIV self test kit, detect infection between 23 and 90 days after exposure. Test now for anything in the past, test again at 4 weeks if you have a specific exposure in mind, and once more at 3 months to be certain. Two non-reactive results with no further risk between them is your answer.
What do I do if my result is positive?
Ring us and ask for our doctor, and come in the same day. A reactive self-test is a screening result, and in Kenya it must be confirmed at a health facility, where three consecutive tests are run to the national algorithm before a diagnosis is made. Some reactive self-tests turn out negative on confirmation. If it is confirmed, treatment starts immediately, and people who start early live a normal lifespan and reach a point where the virus is undetectable and cannot be passed to a partner.
I had a risk in the last 3 days. Should I test?
Ring us first and ask for our doctor, today. A test taken now reflects your status before that exposure rather than after it. What matters in the first 72 hours is PEP, a 28-day course of medicine that can stop an exposure becoming an infection, and Kenyan guidelines say it should start as soon as possible and within 72 hours. Sooner is better, the window closes at 72 hours, and our doctor can assess, test and prescribe.
Is a negative result definitely negative?
For exposures older than 3 months, yes. For anything more recent, antibodies may still be building and the result reflects your status up to the window period rather than up to today. That is why the retest at 4 weeks and again at 3 months exists.
Does the test hurt, and how much blood is needed?
One drop from the side of a fingertip, taken with the small lancet in the box. Most people describe it as a sharp flick lasting a second. Pricking the side of the finger rather than the pad hurts less and bleeds more willingly, and warm hands make the whole thing easier.
What if there are no lines at all, or only one faint line?
If the control line stays blank the test has failed rather than told you anything, and it needs a fresh kit. A faint test line is still a line and counts as reactive, so treat it as reactive and ring us. Even very good self-tests have a share of users who get no readable result at the first attempt, which is why many people order 2.
Can I use this if I am already on HIV treatment?
Please speak to our doctor instead. Self-tests are unreliable for people taking antiretroviral medicines and can read non-reactive even where HIV is present. Monitoring on treatment is done with a viral load test at your clinic, which measures something different.
Is it private, and will anyone know?
Every order travels in plain outer packaging with nothing on the outside to say what is inside, and the delivery note carries our name and no product description. The rider is told a parcel and an address. If you collect, we set it aside under a first name only and hand it over without a word said across the counter. Nothing you tell us goes anywhere else.
Can a teenager use an HIV self test kit?
Testing is a right at any age, and a young person testing alone and reading a difficult result by themselves is the part worth avoiding. Please ring us and ask for our doctor, who will support somebody under 18 through the test and whatever follows. Our doctor will also set out what applies legally for anybody younger.
What is PrEP, and is it for me?
PrEP is a daily tablet taken by somebody who is HIV-negative to stay that way, available in Kenya from age 15 for people at substantial ongoing risk, including anyone whose partner is living with HIV. It requires a negative test to start, a check at 1 month, and testing every 3 months. If you find yourself buying test kits repeatedly out of worry, this is the conversation to have instead. Ask our doctor.
Can I test my partner, or test together?
Couples testing together is common and often easier than testing alone, and ordering 2 kits covers both of you. Each person should take their own test by their own choice. If testing together is likely to put either of you at risk of harm, please ring us and ask for our doctor first, and we will arrange it another way.
Does this test cover other sexually transmitted infections?
This kit detects antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 only. Syphilis, hepatitis B, gonorrhoea and chlamydia are separate tests, and a full screen is worth having after a risk rather than HIV alone. Our doctor can arrange the rest.
Where can I buy an HIV self test kit in Kenya, and what does it cost?
From HealthAlone, online for delivery countrywide or over the counter at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. The current price is shown above. We deliver across Nairobi — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Kitisuru, Lavington, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Kasarani, Roysambu, Githurai, Ruaka and Banana Hill — and to Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru, Ngong, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Kitengela, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Kitale, Embu, Meru, Nanyuki, Nyahururu, Isiolo, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Makueni, Voi, Taveta, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi and Lamu. Outside Kenya we have delivered to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and Malawi, and we quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of Africa on request. Our pharmacist will show you how to take it so you get a readable result first time, and our doctor is here for the 72-hour PEP window and for same-day confirmation if a result comes back reactive.
