The Ministry of Health will start implementation of the long-acting injectable Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in March.
The announcement was made through the Department of HIV, AIDS and Viral Hepatitis in the ministry on Wednesday, 28th February 2024.
An implementation science for the long-acting injectable PrEP was launched in Lilongwe on 1st September 2023, adding the newest intervention to a number of Malawi’s HIV combination prevention initiatives.
It is used amongst the most at-risk populations to HIV acquisition, including female sex workers, men who have sex with men, the transgender community and people who use and inject themselves with drugs.
The initiative will start with 41 health facilities in Lilongwe and Blantyre. The country has since received 5,400 doses of injectable PrEP and will be receiving 10,534 doses in June, then 21,257 doses in September and 19,319 doses in December.
Malawi adopted combination HIV prevention interventions as part of concerted efforts in the National HIV and AIDS Response aimed at ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Apart from long-acting injectable PrEP the other combination prevention interventions include Post-exposure prophylaxis, condom use, voluntary medical male circumcision and early diagnosis and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.
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