HIV/Aids advocate Ronaldo Castillo is urging Government to change its policy and make Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) – a drug used to prevent people from contracting HIV – more easily and readily available to the general public.
He made his call during an interview with Newsday on Thursday, a day before World Aids Day. Castillo, 24, has been living with the virus since he was a baby and uses his social media platforms to educate people about the virus as, he says, his life's mission is to end discrimination and stigmatisation of people living with the virus.
In an e-mailed answer to a query from Newsday on whether or not the ministry will consider making PrEP available to the public, the ministry said Government’s position on this issue has not changed – and the drug would not be made widely available.
In the past, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh has said Government would not introduce PrEP as a subsidised form of HIV medication, and to date, it remains unavailable in the public sector.
National AIDS Co-ordinating Committee (NACC) technical director Dr Ayanna Sebro said the committee will defer to the health ministry’s position on PrEP.
Sebro told Newsday that Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is currently locally available as a form of medical intervention post-exposure to HIV – in select circumstances – for instance, if a person is a victim of sexual assault, or a medical professional who has been exposed to the virus from a needle.
According to the NACC’s website, PEP is a treatment plan that can be administered after a person has been exposed to HIV, while their viral load is still undetectable.
“The NACC supports access to comprehensive prevention and is quite keen on the re-establishment of the wider prevention response.”
In May 2016, this country signed an UNAids agreement to eliminate the spread of the virus by 2030.
Castillo said Government's stance that the PReP medicine would not be made available to the wider public, runs counter to its commitment – by way of signing on to the UNAids agreement – to eliminate the spread of the virus by 2030.
"NOT MAKING SENSE"
“I find it doesn’t make sense. As they (the health ministry) know, PrEP or PEP works 99 per cent good once taken as prescribed.”
Castillo said he hopes PrEP will be made available in the public sector to groups which are especially vulnerable to contracting HIV such as sex workers.
In keeping with this year’s World Aids Day theme – Let Communities Lead – the Health Ministry collaborated with the NACC and regional health authorities to expand free HIV-testing in various communities.
The ministry is also encouraging HIV-positive people, who have not maintained their treatment regimen, to return to it.
To facilitate this, field officers are contacting previous clients to encourage them to return to care and restart their medication.
Sebro said ending Aids by 2030 is linked firstly in ensuring access to everyone infected with HIV to life-saving treatment and support.
“It means sustainability of the HIV response co
