With Dec 1 marking World Aids Day, let us explore one of today's most highly effective methods in HIV prevention: Prep.
Prep, or the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a preventative medication taken daily by those with high risk for HIV infection -- such as the partner of an HIV-positive person, men who have sex with men (MSM) and more. If taken consistently, Prep can reduce the risk of HIV infection by more than 90%. However, its effectiveness decreases with inconsistent usage.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have released guidelines recommending the use of Prep as a means for HIV and Aids prevention. But despite having been around since 2012, and despite several countries around the world having approved the medication, it seems not enough people are aware of Prep.
Misconception and misinformation can, at times, be associated with the use of Prep. For one thing, it should be emphasised that this medication serves as an additional form of protection against HIV, and thus is not a replacement for condoms. Prep is useless against other sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhoea and syphilis.
At the Rights, Resources and Resilience Asia Pacific Summit held earlier this month in Bangkok, experts in healthcare from the Thai Red Cross Association, the WHO, Apcom Foundation and more held a session on Prep implementation. Tareerat Chemnasiri, representative from the Thai Ministry of Public Health and US CDC Collaboration, insisted on the need to raise awareness and risk assessment among Thai people.
"We've found that young MSM and transgender women don't really think they're at risk," said Tareerat during the session. "And when they don't think they're at risk, they don't think they need Prep or HIV testing."
Tareerat further stated that many people also misunderstand that Prep is a "party drug" that, when taken, would protect the person from HIV for a night, which is not the case. At the same time, some confuse Prep entirely with PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis), a medication taken after a person has contact with HIV. Stigma and concern of side effects also prevent many from reaching out for the medication.
It is clear that a lot still needs to be done when it comes to public education regarding the matter. The reported number of HIV/Aids patients varies by source, but according to UNAids's statistics, in 2016 there were about 450,000 adults and children living with HIV in Thailand, with 6,400 newly infected.
So what can people do to lower these numbers? They can prevent themselves from infection and seek treatment when they learn they are infected. In Thailand, help and information can be sought from organisations such as the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand, Service Workers in Group Foundation (Swing), the Anonymous Clinic at the Thai Red Cross Society, the Pulse Clinic in Silom and more.
Online, testbkk.org provides information -- in both Thai and English -- on Prep and PEP, as well as locations of nearby healthcare facilities where people can get tested for HIV.
Contact melalinm@bangkokpost.co.th for news and views on LGBT matters.
