Project PrEP
Project PrEP: Integrating PrEP into Comprehensive Services for Adolescent Girls and Young Women
Rationale
Project PrEP is a Unitaid-funded initiative that began in 2018, aimed at integrating oral PrEP into comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). The project operates across eight fixed facilities and four mobile clinics in Tshwane, Mthatha, Gqeberha, and eThekwini, South Africa.
The project employs a cluster approach, with each cluster consisting of two or more primary healthcare facilities and a mobile clinic serving the surrounding communities. This model enhances accessibility and ensures SRH and PrEP services are brought closer to AGYW in high-priority areas.
In January 2022, Phase 2 of the project commenced, focusing on expanding PrEP options by introducing Dapivirine Vaginal Rings (DVR) and cabotegravir long-acting injectable (CAB-LA) alongside oral PrEP. This phase also decentralizes service delivery, incorporating self-care options and testing additional community service points to increase accessibility. The second phase is scheduled to conclude in June 2026.
Primary Objectives
- Expand PrEP Access: Increase uptake and coverage of PrEP among AGYW and at-risk groups by integrating DVR and CAB-LA into comprehensive SRH services alongside oral PrEP.
- Decentralized Delivery: Develop and implement a decentralized service delivery model to enhance PrEP uptake.
- STI Management: Improve diagnosis and treatment of STIs among PrEP users through a youth-centered, aetiological approach.
- Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation: Assess the cost-effectiveness of various interventions and delivery models.
Key Features
- Targeted demand creation activities in high-priority communities.
- Linkage to care for HIV testing, with PrEP offered to HIV-negative individuals at risk.
- Integration of innovative biomedical prevention tools within real-world settings.
- Use of interlinked community, fixed-facility, and mobile clinic services to ensure comprehensive care.
Project PrEP demonstrates a scalable and comprehensive model for integrating PrEP into SRH services. By diversifying PrEP options, decentralizing services, and addressing barriers to uptake and continuation, this initiative is paving the way for a stronger HIV prevention framework tailored to the needs of AGYW.
Investigators
- Prof Saiqa Mullick, Principal Investigator
- Vusile Butler, Co-Investigator
- Dr Catherine Martin, Co-investigator
Latest Update
April 2024
For more about Project PrEP please email rhicomms@wrhi.ac.za
Click here for further details regarding the Project PrEP.
