There’s a lot of misconceptions and myths around pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and the worst is several people either don’t know the existence of the medication or they are not aware of how it works.
Others think it is only for sex workers.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, known as PrEP, is a defensive pill that decreases the potential of getting HIV through sex by up to 99% when taken as prescribed. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that one of the reasons why PrEP is less effective is usually when it is not taken as prescribed.
Project Hope Namibia’s (PHN) Mutafela Muhapi said a project like DREAMS is doing well in educating the targeted group of 10 to 14 year olds, even though there is still a large number that is not in the know. PHN is a welfare organisation implementing health-related programmes in Namibia since 2002, operating in nine of the 14 regions of Namibia.
DREAMS which stands for Determined, Resilient, Empowered, Aids-free, Mentored, and Safe is a programme funded by the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and supported by Peace Corps.
“Accessibility to PrEP is not difficult as it requires one to get tested first before getting. After getting tested, there is what we call healthcare assistance, the people who do testing at the clinics,” said Muhapi during an interview with Vital Signs yesterday.
She said at DREAMS, they also do testing and they are certified antiretroviral therapy nurses, which means they can prescribe PrEP and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis). She said healthcare workers should take it upon themselves to spread the right information to individuals seeking PrEP.
“I have heard girls seeking PrEP that they were told by health professionals the medication is for sex workers only and you still hear others who go for private doctors if they are asked if they are on any other treatment and they say PrEP, they get told that they are on ARV, the mood changes. Yes PrEP is a type of an ARV but the main aim is for prevention,” she stated.
She said this becomes tricky as confusion is created among nurses and doctors and now the nurse is required or expected to correctly state facts, which becomes difficult to do as the first hand information came from a doctor, although not entirely correct.
She added: “Some people think PrEP disturbs one’s menstrual cycle, this is not the case. It has nothing to do with that, they maybe think it will hinder the process of family planning.”
She also added that common side effects include nausea, drowsiness, that’s why she recommends that PrEP is somehow best taken at night when one’s about to sleep.