Methods: Electronic databases were searched to identify eligible English language publications. Reporting of the study selection procedure was done according to PRISMA and the selected articles were also critically appraised. The global spread of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV continues to grow, especially among impoverished populations, despite numerous prevention and control programs implemented over the years. Approximately 2. In addition, VCT uptake rates remain low in SSA [ 4 , 8 ], especially among the youth who are also highly engaged in risky sexual behaviors such as unprotected sexual intercourse, having multiple sexual partners, etc.
A study in Nigeria showed that participants aged below 21 years had a decreased odds of having tested for HIV and willing to test for HIV [ 12 , 13 ].
Moreover, factors such as misconceptions of HIV transmission, fear of testing positive and high stigma, etc. Low VCT uptake implies that more people living with HIV would not know their status, leading to the onward transmission and increased incidence. Moreover, the economic burden may affect the labor market and increase the mortality rate of the country.
In addition, the underutilization of VCT services provided at the facility level will lead to a waste of resources due to product expiring before use. This also means that more financial resources need to be expended in developing alternative service provision options to reduce the disease burden in the country. Furthermore, this is a specific dilemma for Low-and-middle Income Countries LMICs as the countries already have limited resources available for disease prevention and control [ 15 ].
VCT forms a cornerstone of HIV prevention as it offers the opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment [ 7 , 16 ].
