Chung and Minh* met when Chung was volunteering with HIV prevention activities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Minh was looking for more support to properly adhere to his HIV antiretroviral therapy regimen.  Chung was happy to help, and before long they became a couple. Chung maintains that their love is so strong that Minh’s HIV status doesn’t change things, but when the pair learned about oral pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PrEP), they jumped at the opportunity to add an extra layer of protection along with practicing safe sex and using a condom. One year ago, this would not have been possible.

PrEP is a way for people who do not have HIV but are at substantial risk of contracting it, to prevent HIV infection by taking a pill every day as part of a combination HIV prevention strategy. When taken consistently, PrEP has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 92 percent.  It is available in over 20 countries worldwide, but was not accessible in Vietnam until the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID’s Healthy Markets project began piloting the first PrEP service model in the country in March 2017. Key populations at risk of HIV, such as men who have sex with men, transgender women and the HIV-negative partners of people living with HIV, can now access PrEP services through private and public clinics.

Between March and September 2017, 381 people started on PrEP, and around 1,700 are expected to enroll by the end of 2018, which will mark the end of the pilot. Results from the pilot will inform national PrEP scale-up.

After getting support from a local community-based organization and private clinic, integrating PrEP into Chung’s routine has been easy.  “We are hopeful about our future now that Chung is on PrEP because it adds an extra layer of protection to our relationship.” said Minh.

The PrEP pilot program is a part of Healthy Markets [PDF, 207K] - a PEPFAR funded, five-year USAID initiative that aims to grow a viable commercial market for HIV-related products and services and generate a sustainable supply of quality HIV products and services that are accessible and affordable to key populations facing greatest HIV risk.

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals.