PrEP treatment makes inroads
About 44 people have accessed the oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) anti-HIV treatment from two Walvis Bay Corridor Group clinics and the Nappa clinic in Windhoek.
The Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC) approved the two antiretroviral drugs Tenofovir and emtricitabine in May this year.
The treatment was rolled out in July by the Society for Family Health (SFH) through the Walvis Bay Corridor Group and Nappa clinics with the financial assistance of USAID.
Namibia is one of only 15 countries that have established, or committed to establishing, PrEP programmes. This initiative mainly targets key populations such as men sleeping with men and sex workers, but other populations will not be turned away.
PrEP is an additional, discreet HIV prevention option for people at high risk of HIV infection, and it is only administered to people who are HIV negative.
According to health staff at the Nappa clinic in Windhoek, seven people have so far been put on the PrEP treatment.
Edward Shivute, manager of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) Wellness Services, says 19 people who regard themselves at high risk of contracting HIV have been put on the treatment at the Walvis Bay clinic.
An additional 18 people have accessed the treatment at the Oshikango clinic, Shivute says.
“Some of these people are sex workers and in vulnerable sexual relationships as well as truck drivers,” Shivute says.
According to him the treatment will be extended to the Khomas and Zambezi regions.
“The treatment is very high in demand, especially in Khomas where there are quite a number of sex workers at risk,” he says.
They have estimated the demand for this treatment through their HIV testing rounds at clinics.
“We test an average of 300 people per site per month and usually pick up a 20% to 30% rate of positivity.”
PrEP can also be obtained on prescription from local pharmacies at an average price of N$450.
The UNAIDS Global AIDS Update for 2017 argues that HIV testing services can link PrEP scale-up to efforts to achieve the 90–90–90 targets by offering PrEP to individuals who test HIV negative.
The report strongly suggests that all PrEP services should be regulated so that its use occurs only with a prescription, a negative HIV test, clinical follow-up of safety risks, adherence support, and screening and treatment of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The UNAIDS 90-90-90 target calls on countries to reach the following goals: 90% of people living with HIV diagnosed by 2020, 90% of diagnosed people on antiretroviral treatment by 2020, and 90% of people in treatment with fully suppressed viral load by 2020.
JEMIMA BEUKES
The Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC) approved the two antiretroviral drugs Tenofovir and emtricitabine in May this year.
The treatment was rolled out in July by the Society for Family Health (SFH) through the Walvis Bay Corridor Group and Nappa clinics with the financial assistance of USAID.
Namibia is one of only 15 countries that have established, or committed to establishing, PrEP programmes. This initiative mainly targets key populations such as men sleeping with men and sex workers, but other populations will not be turned away.
PrEP is an additional, discreet HIV prevention option for people at high risk of HIV infection, and it is only administered to people who are HIV negative.
According to health staff at the Nappa clinic in Windhoek, seven people have so far been put on the PrEP treatment.
Edward Shivute, manager of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) Wellness Services, says 19 people who regard themselves at high risk of contracting HIV have been put on the treatment at the Walvis Bay clinic.
An additional 18 people have accessed the treatment at the Oshikango clinic, Shivute says.
“Some of these people are sex workers and in vulnerable sexual relationships as well as truck drivers,” Shivute says.
According to him the treatment will be extended to the Khomas and Zambezi regions.
“The treatment is very high in demand, especially in Khomas where there are quite a number of sex workers at risk,” he says.
They have estimated the demand for this treatment through their HIV testing rounds at clinics.
“We test an average of 300 people per site per month and usually pick up a 20% to 30% rate of positivity.”
PrEP can also be obtained on prescription from local pharmacies at an average price of N$450.
The UNAIDS Global AIDS Update for 2017 argues that HIV testing services can link PrEP scale-up to efforts to achieve the 90–90–90 targets by offering PrEP to individuals who test HIV negative.
The report strongly suggests that all PrEP services should be regulated so that its use occurs only with a prescription, a negative HIV test, clinical follow-up of safety risks, adherence support, and screening and treatment of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The UNAIDS 90-90-90 target calls on countries to reach the following goals: 90% of people living with HIV diagnosed by 2020, 90% of diagnosed people on antiretroviral treatment by 2020, and 90% of people in treatment with fully suppressed viral load by 2020.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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