ORAL PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PrEP) FOR HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS
Author: Yonatan Tamiru, Communication and PR Specialist, PSI Ethiopia
Preventing the spread of HIV is a global priority, and one of the strategies for achieving this goal is using oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is a preventive medication taken by individuals at high risk of contracting HIV to reduce their chances of becoming infected. In Ethiopia, the government has implemented a national HIV prevention program with six pillars, one of which is the provision of PrEP to high-risk populations, such as female sex workers. Under the hub and spoke model, the USAID MULU Key Populations Activity provides PrEP demand creation, screening, initiation, counseling, and follow-up through drop-in centers and multiple outreach sites.
Sara, a venue-based female sex worker, met a Drop In Centre (DIC) staff member during outreach HIV testing services in the Gerji area, one of the hotspot sites under Bole DIC. Having been in the business for four years, Sara was initially scared of contracting HIV, a disease she knew to be a killer. However, the information she received on various health services, particularly on PrEP, amazed her.
With the DIC team’s help, Sara initiated PrEP and has been adhering to the medication for the last nine months. She is grateful for the service and believes that she would have contracted HIV if she had not been on PrEP. In addition, the DIC provides free condoms, which further helps in preventing HIV transmission. Sara attributes her good fortune to the day she met the DIC staff.
“Sometimes all you need to see a difference in your life while you are in this business is to have the courage to closely work with and share your fears with the health professionals around you,” said Sara reminding the time she met with the DIC staff, “I never had the chance to know about Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in detail before I met the DIC staff. I feared contracting HIV and AIDS, but I had no idea how to protect myself. Now I have started the medication with the support I get from the DIC, and I am thankful for that.”
The Activity’s hub and spoke model has been effective in improving access and adherence to PrEP by bringing the services closer to the clients. With the help of outreach sites and drop-in centers, healthcare providers can easily screen and initiate PrEP and appoint clients for drug refills and laboratory testing as needed. This model reduces barriers to access health services for high-risk populations, such as female sex workers, who face stigma and discrimination when seeking healthcare.
Now Sara and her peers are getting the PrEP services in different DICs. The outreach team from the DICs is working closely with the clients in giving the right information and access to the PrEP services for HIV prevention. The Ethiopian government’s efforts in implementing a national HIV prevention program with PrEP as one of its pillars is a commendable step towards ending the spread of HIV. The program’s success depends on continuous support from stakeholders and policymakers to ensure that high-risk populations, such as female sex workers, have access to PrEP and other essential health services. The case of Sara is an excellent example of how PrEP and outreach services can make a difference in the lives of those at risk of contracting HIV.
