PrEP is a powerful medication for HIV prevention and can reduce the risk of HIV infection by more than 92 percent if taken daily, as part of a combination HIV prevention strategy. Until early 2020, Quang Ninh’s local community-based organizations (CBOs) and key population (KP) groups, such as men who have sex with men (MSM), did not know about the benefits of PrEP or how to access PrEP. To address this, in February 2020, the USAID Enhanced Community HIV Link - Northern project started a community-based advocacy campaign for PrEP. USAID engaged CBOs and KP groups to increase their understanding of the benefits of taking PrEP and where to get it. The project also provided technical support to CBOs to enhance their ability to share PrEP messages with their group members and expanded MSM networks to reach clients in both urban areas like Ha Long city and remote districts such as Dong Trieu, Mong Cai, and Cam Pha.

So What? Quang Ninh CBOs now have PrEP information on the  benefits of PrEP, where services are available, and how to link clients to all three PrEP facilities in the province. After six months of support, CBOs in Quang Ninh have helped 104 clients enroll for PrEP, more than a 10-fold increase in the number of people on PrEP in this province, thereby reducing the risk of HIV infection.