ORAL ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY- SINDH BECAME THE FIRST PROVINCE OF PAKISTAN TO PILOT THE INTERVENTION

Antiretroviral Drugs

According to The News on Wednesday, Sindh has become the first province in Pakistan to publicly launch an oral pharmaceutical program called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infections in 'high-risk groups.'

Antiretroviral Therapy

"In response to an upsurge in new HIV infections, we are launching a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) program in Sindh to prevent people from high-risk communities from becoming HIV positive. Sindh has always been a forerunner in making early health decisions, and others will follow suit "At the launch of the PrEP program in Karachi, Dr. Jumman Bahoto, and Director General of Health Sindh, remarked.

According to a study, oral drugs known as PrEP can reduce the risk of HIV infections by more than 90% when taken as advised regularly.

Even though the initial proof of the efficacy of daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) was published more than ten years ago, much of the PrEP scale-up is still concentrated in a small number of countries, according to Dr. Jumman Bahoto.

"By implementing community-based- PrEP for key populations and serodiscordant couples, the Sindh health department, in collaboration with the United Nations in Pakistan, has set a precedent in the country today. Along with other HIV prevention strategies, PrEP provides an alternative option "Following the inaugural event, ART Centre employees from across Sindh province will be trained on how to provide effective and evidence-based PrEP services, he said.

Ms. Yuki Takemoto, UNAIDS Country Director Pakistan and Afghanistan, Dr. Ershad Kazmi, Ms. Heather Doyle, UNDP Programme Manager for the HIV Global Fund grant, Dr. Rajwal Khan, UNAIDS Strategic Information Adviser, Fahmida Khan from UNAIDS, WHO's country representative to Pakistan, Dr. Sara Salman, and other officials were also present.

Antiretroviral Therapy

Pakistan observed an 84 percent increase in new HIV infections, between 2010 and 2020, and new HIV infections cannot be avoided unless immediate action is taken, said Dr. Ershad Kazmi, Additional Director, CDC Sindh.   "PrEP is a positive step forward since it provides a strategic opportunity to precisely target preventative programs for specific populations. "Formal linkages have been formed between ART Centres and the outreach component of the current program" for delivering PrEP to serodiscordant couples and important populations, he said.

Oral Antiretroviral Medicine

UNAIDS Country Director for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Yuki Takemoto, thanked the Sindh health department for formally initiating the PrEP program, noting that they were impressed by the government's political commitment and real actions to address the needs of HIV-positive people.

"Ensuring a supportive, enabling environment free of stigma and discrimination will contribute effectively towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030," she said, noting that community outreach workers and counselors have the advantage of being able to reach key populations, including hard-to-reach communities.

She also stated that it is critical to combine community-led HIV prevention programs with genuine community participation to ensure that policies and services are tailored to the community's needs.

YUKI TAKEMOTO, UNAIDS

Ms. Heather Doyle, a UNDP employee, said they were collaborating closely with the Sindh CDC, UNAIDS, and community partners to move this initiative ahead. "We hope to keep that relationship going so that everyone who needs PrEP may get it," she added.

 Several members of community-based organizations and representatives from critical demographics attended the launch, expressing hope that PrEP use will lower the number of new HIV infections.

Antiretroviral Therapy

According to one member of the community, "PrEP is a gift of medical science to the communities that can help prevent HIV among those who are at higher risk because we don't have an HIV vaccine as we do for COVID 19. While a vaccine or cure may someday put an end to the HIV epidemic, PrEP is a strong weapon that has the potential to change the HIV epidemic's trajectory in Pakistan in the coming years."