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Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication to prevent HIV infection in HIV-negative people. PrEP can stop HIV from taking hold and spreading throughout the body, and when taken daily, oral PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV from sex or injection drug use. Additionally, expectant mothers who are HIV-negative can take PrEP to prevent infection, and thus prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), during the critical periods of pregnancy and breastfeeding.[1] PrEP and the prevention of MTCT greatly contribute to the UNAIDS “fast-track” targets for prevention, which aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections in 2030 to fewer than 200,000.[2]
Despite scale-up of HIV testing and treatment in Africa, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), as well as individuals in sero-discordant relationships, have high incidence of HIV. I-TECH supports PrEP delivery at HIV care and treatment clinics for partners of individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). In addition, I-TECH’s work in PrEP coincides with its efforts to support programs that provide for the physical and mental health of AGYW.
In partnership with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, I-TECH faculty Jeff Lane and Aaron Katz prepared the briefs in the sidebar, which outline policy considerations for the scale-up of PrEP for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
- World Health Organization (WHO). WHO expands recommendation on oral pre-exposure prophylaxis of HIV infection (PrEP). Policy Brief. November 2015.
- UNAIDS. Understanding Fast-Track: Accelerating Action to End the AIDS Epidemic by 2030. June 2015.
