Carry out more sensitization on Prep, East youth urges MOH
By Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Health in Chipata district of Eastern Province has been urged to carry out more sensitization on the usage of the HIV preventive drug – Pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep).
Speaking during a meeting organized by the Zambian Youth Platform (ZYP) in Chipata yesterday, a youth from Lunkhwakwa Youth Centre in Chipata, Vincent Nyasulu expressed concern that a lot of young people were misusing Prep by engaging themselves in illicit sexual activities after taking the drug.
Nyasulu observed that many people were not aware that Prep did not protect them against other sexually transmitted infections STIs.
“The Ministry of Health should emphasize more in the use of condoms as the best protection from STIs,” said Nyasulu.
And when responding to the matter during the same meeting, Psychosocial Counselor at Kapata Clinic Thennis Mutale regretted that people were deliberately misusing Prep as they were availed adequate information at the point of administering the drugs.
Studies have shown that Prep reduces the risk of getting HIV by about 99 percent when taken daily.
