#SaferNowPH Webinar on Biomedical HIV Prevention Methods

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In celebration of the community-led 2020 Philippine National HIV Prevention Month (NHPM), the #SaferNowPH campaign will hold a webinar on biomedical prevention methods on August 15, 2020, at 5:00 PM.

Utilizing the Philippine NHPM social media pages @HIVPrevMonthPH, the webinar will tackle the prophylactic medicines for HIV, including Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP

PrEP is a daily medicine that prevents people, especially those at risk, from acquiring HIV. If taken correctly and consistently, PrEP can provide up to 99% protection.

PEP, on the other hand, is an emergency medicine taken immediately within 72 hours after a possible HIV exposure and continued for 28 days to reduce the risk of HIV infection by over 80%.

Learn more about these innovative HIV prevention methods with guest HIV physicians: Dr. Patrick Eustaquio of LoveYourself, Inc. and Dr. Kate Leyritana of Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines (SHIP) during the PrEP and PEP day celebration for NHPM 2020. The doctors will be discussing the effectiveness, safety, access to, and administration of these HIV preventive medicines.

Additionally, industry experts from the HIV community and service providers are invited to entertain inquiries about each method. HIV experts include Danvic Rosadiño, the lead convenor Kalasag PrEP Network, Dr. Mary Ann Joy Aguadera, the HUB chair at Manila Doctor’s Hospital, and Kenneth Samaco, HIV consultant of the World Health Organization Philippines.

This year is the first-ever holding of the Philippine NHPM, which was kicked-off last July 31. To be celebrated every July of each year, the NHPM is an initiative aligned with Presidential Proclamation No. 971, signed last June 23, declaring the second week of July as Infection Prevention and Control Week.

This year’s NHPM theme is “SaferNow,” which promotes the HIV combination prevention methods, including condoms and lubricants, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and antiretroviral treatment as prevention (TasP). The “SaferNow” campaign has a series of online activities scheduled during the month-long celebration:

• July 31 – Kick-Off and Launch

• August 8 – Condoms and Lube Day

• August 15 – PrEP and PEP Day

• August 22 – Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) Day

• August 29 – Culmination Activity

This intensified effort is also in response to the DOH’s report of 2,818 newly diagnosed Filipinos with HIV from January to March 2020. The age group of 25-34 year-olds has the highest incidence with 1,359, followed by 15-24 year-olds with 834.

The NHPM is spearheaded by the Global Fund Sustainability of HIV Services for Key Populations in Asia (SKPA) Program and CHAMPION Community Centers network; co-presented by AIDS Healthcare Foundation; sponsored by Rotary Club of Cubao Quezon City District 3780; also brought to you by Durex, Lauvette, 3M, Bliss Four, LUBIE, ChloRelief, Usana Philippines, EZ Lubricating Jelly, Premiere Condoms, Liquor Bouquet Philippines; and supported by UNAIDS Philippines, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations, APCOM, and LoveYourself, Inc.

Community-based organizations around the country offering HIV-related services will conduct parallel activities to support this national event.

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