Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an oral medication used to prevent contracting HIV through sex or injecting drugs, will soon be provided for free at a few public health clinics in states with a high HIV prevalence, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH).
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In a statement released by the MOH, the ministry stated that it plans to increase the use of the HIV prevention pill among those at risk of contracting the disease, such as partners of people living with HIV (PLHIV), as part of a two-year programme with support from the Global Fund that will get underway in January.
Despite its availability in Malaysia, access to PrEP has long been hindered by stigmatised attitudes and concerns of “risk compensation” or fear that people would actively engage in condomless sex, which slowed efforts to scale up PrEP in the public health sector.
According to Code Blue, Dr. Raja Iskandar Shah Raja Azwa, associate professor of infectious diseases at University of Malaya, the first attempts to provide PrEP through private primary care clinics came at a cost.
"The monthly cost (at private clinics) ranges between RM80 and RM140. We can provide it for less at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).
Dr. Raja Iskandar added, "We can offer it at RM30 because these are, sort of, government-related prices so it's easier."
Malaysia is committed to achieving the global target of 95-95-95 in order to end AIDS by 2030, despite falling short of the global 2020 HIV goals with a scorecard of 87-58-85.
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
