Government-subsidized Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV/AIDS is being underutilized by the populace. This, for the most part, is owed to the lack of awareness, especially within vulnerable communities.
Founder of Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Joel Simpson said as much recently. He called for more awareness and utilization of the drug which serves as a preventative mechanism for those who may be exposed to HIV/AIDS.
The National Aids Programme Secretariat (NAPS) a few years ago developed several PrEP guidelines, inclusive of training clinicians, and systems for the distribution of the pill.
The World Health Organization said that Guyana has made significant progress in delivering PrEP to key populations. PrEP is available at 15 public, private and civil society organizations around the country.
However, Simpson expressed the view that since PrEP was made available to the public, the interest has been low. He believes that this is due to the lack of education.
“There were 42 persons enrolled on PReP in the public health system in Guyana. The greatest challenge we have around PReP is that now that it is available, there has been no investment in advertising, education to inform people about PReP” Simpson said.
Simpson noted that education and awareness in certain key populations can help with the increased utilization of the service.
“It is one thing to have a service available, but if people don’t know about it and don’t know how it will benefit them, then they obviously won’t come forward to use the service so that is a challenge where PReP is concerned.” He noted.
A report from 2015 from the World Health Organisation had recommended that people living in Guyana at substantial risk of HIV infection be offered Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PReP).
