Symposium 9

Don’t let the opportunity pass: integrating STI services for people who use HIV PrEP
Day/time: Tuesday, September 6^th 2022, 10:30 – 12:00
Venue: Kalundu conference room

Services that offer pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV infection are an important opportunity and gateway for improved STI testing and treatment. The results of a WHO-commissioned systematic review and meta-analysis of the epidemiology of STIs among people who use PrEP showed that STI prevalence prior to starting PrEP was considerably high and incidence remained high during follow-up visits. Integrating STI services as part of PrEP services could foster synergies and efficiencies to control the epidemics of HIV and other STIs by promoting a people-centred approach and improved quality of care.  

Following the WHO recommendation for the use of oral PrEP for HIV infection as part of the combination HIV prevention approach, partners in countries expressed the need for practical advice on introducing and implementing PrEP services. In response, WHO has developed a series of modules for different audiences to support the implementation of PrEP (https://www.who.int/tools/prep-implementation-tool). During a satellite session, WHO will launch a new module of its PrEP Implementation Tool: Integrating STI services, which will be followed by country examples. The module provides practical guidance to policymakers, programme and facility managers and other health workers to support implementing, improving, and scaling up STI services for people who use PrEP. 

Chairpersons: Geoff Garnett; Heather Ingold

 

10:30-10:35	Opening remarks	Geoff Garnett (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USA)
10:35-10:45	Status of national recommendations of STI services for people on PrEP	Erica Spielman (WHO, Switzerland)
10:45-11:00	Launch of the new module of the WHO implementation tool for HIV PrEP: Integrating STI services	Rachel Baggaley (WHO, Switzerland)
	Country examples
11:00-11:10	Brazil: Using social media to create demand for PrEP and STI services among young people from key populations	Ines Dourado (Federal University of Bahia, Brazil)
11:10-11:25	South Africa: Screening youth for STI symptoms & values and preferences of youth for STI services	Saiqa Mullick (Wits University, South Africa)
11:25-11:35	Namibia: Using an online platform to promote testing, client management, and M&E of HIV/STI services for key populations	TBC (Ministry of Health, Namibia)
11:35-11:55	Q&A
11:55-12:00	Looking ahead: innovations to support STI integration	Heather Ingold (UNITAID, Switzerland)