‘PreP can help protect against HIV’
The Department of Health and the University of Venda (Univen) campus health clinic officially launched Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) on Friday, 16 February at the university sports hall.
LIMPOPO –Â The main purpose of PrEP is to raise awareness and reach out to communities on issues of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and sexual health, aimed at reducing the spread of HIV/aids and moving towards the 90-90-90 target by 2020 as a build up towards an HIV-free generation by 2030.
PrEP is a pill that helps prevent an HIV-negative person from being infected with HIV from a sexual or injection-drug-using partner who is HIV positive. PrEP is the use of ARTI HIV medication which keeps HIV negative people from getting HIV.
Giving his keynote address during the launch, the Director of Health Services in Vhembe district, Robert Sirwali, encouraged the Univen community to take responsibility of their own health. “I advise you to seek medical assistance whenever you notice the signs and symptoms of sexual transmitted diseases,” said Sirwali.
When explaining how the PrEP works, Sirwali said that he pill should be taken daily at more or less the same time like your family planning pill. “When you start PrEP medication, it takes seven days to be protected from getting HIV and you should continue using condoms whenever you engage in sexual activity as the pill does not prevent pregnancy or STI,” he added.
Currently PrEP is being provided through a limited number of sites in the Vhembe district at Univen and the Musina border post at North Star alliance. For Univen the PrEP is for the Univen community only whereas for Musina, it is for sex workers and taxi drivers.
“In an effort to upscale HIV prevention, HEAIDS, in partnership with the Department of Health, has started to roll out PrEP medication to 12 clinics in seven universities across the country, including Univen,” Moabelo Shibashiba, HEAIDS Provincial Coordinator, said.
Shibashiba further explained PrEP should not be seen as a substitute to the traditional HIV prevention strategies, it should rather be seen as an additional strategy to prevent people from contracting HIV.
“HEAIDS fully supports the additional prevention strategy to allow youth access to the various prevention strategies. We believe this programme will ensure students graduate alive and prepare them to live a meaningful and healthy life after graduating as well as contribute positively towards the economic development of the country,” Shibashiba concluded.
