In recent years, primary care needs of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) have been increasing as a result of a rapidly spreading epidemic of HIV infection in the Philippines. To date, MSM comprise 76% of all HIV cases recorded in the Philippines and in July 2016 alone we saw the highest number of HIV cases ever reported in the country since 1984.
Although a number of prevention methods are available, these have not been sufficient to stop the epidemic. Additional safe and effective approaches to HIV prevention, like Pre-exposure prophylaxis or “PrEP”, as most call it, is urgently needed.
PrEP is a WHO recommended prevention intervention, as part of combination prevention, where HIV-negative individuals at substantial risk for HIV take daily oral anti-retroviral drugs containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) to prevent HIV. Several trials among men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, transgender people, and women have shown it is effective and safe for preventing HIV-infection.
This project of community-based delivery of PrEP called “Project Preppy”, supported by amFAR - The Foundation for AIDS Research, is a unique partnership in the history of WHO in the Western Pacific Region as it involves the Love Yourself Foundation, the academe, the Philippine Department of Health, and the WHO all working together to deliver, evaluate and document community-based HIV PrEP services.
The mission of Love Yourself—true to its name—is to help individuals embrace and nurture self-worth, which is one simple yet effective way to help mobilize and empower communities to fight stigma and discrimination. Its founder, Vinn Pagtakhan, also emphasized their aim to encompass treatment and focus on a sustainable lifestyle for those who are living with HIV.
Just in time for World AIDS Day, Love Yourself launched this pilot project at its #HackingHIV event which show cased a number of innovative ways it is using technology to help raise awareness and encourage testing and treatment.
WHO Country Representative in the Philippines Dr Gundo Weiler noted, “This pilot project will not only be effective in preventing HIV-infection but will hopefully help inform and launch a wider initiative throughout the country—one that is informed not just by data but by real personal experiences from the most vulnerable communities.”
Project Preppy is set to be rolled out early next year at two Love Yourself clinics located in Metro Manila. These clinics are supported by the Philippine Department of Health, which also provides training, medical oversight, laboratory support, project coordination and data management.