PrEP, a mechanism that needs to be added to existing HIV prevention methods - Health expert

SHAH ALAM - The PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) medication can prevent 90 per cent of HIV infections.

Health Ministry Infectious Disease Control (HIV/STI/Hepatitis C) head sector Dr Anita Suleiman said the treatment can be added to the existing preventative method.

However, she said the usual preventive strategy called the ABC approach (abstinence, being faithful, using condoms) should be practiced and focused on.

“PrEP can prevent 90 per cent of (HIV) infections, here we see that there is a mechanism that needs to be added to the existing mechanism and we can still focus on abstinence, behaviour and condoms," she said during Sinar Harian’s Wacana programme entitled "PrEP: Tanggungjawab, pencegahan penyakit HIV" (PrEP: Responsibility in preventing HIV).

She also said PrEP had always been available, but currently patients have to pay for it out of their own pockets.

Dr Anita said 77 per cent of HIV patients were still in school or college or fall under the B40 group and could not afford the PrEP medication.

“Before this, PrEP costs RM150, not including the cost of the test for monitoring.

“That’s why we think it's time for Malaysia to add prevention options, but we are not rejecting the importance of advising individuals who are involved in activities that may have risks (to be infected)," she said.

Recently, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said a pilot project will be carried out by the ministry in regards with the use of PrEP in several hospitals to assess its effectiveness and safety in reducing the risk of HIV infections.

She said the pilot project was necessary before the drug was certified by the ministry for public consumption.

The use of PrEP was said to be able to reduce the risk of contracting HIV from sex by about 90 per cent when taken according to prescription.