WI Health Reporter
Last Tuesday, Whitman-Walker teamed up with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of HIV. Declaring the day as PrEP Awareness Day, July 16 will now be the official date dedicated to heightening awareness about PrEP and its critical role in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“By increasing awareness and accessibility of PrEP, we can protect our most vulnerable populations and move closer to ending the HIV epidemic,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a press release.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), less than 25% of the appproximately 1.2 million Americans who could benefit from PrEP are actually using the medication, despite its proven efficacy.
Through various community efforts, Whitman-Walker, an affirming health center for LGBTQ and community-based health and wellness services, works to heighten public education about PrEP and increase access to the beneficial medication.
PrEP is a medication made to help prevent HIV infection in people who are at risk of exposure through either sexual transmission or injection drug use. When the medication is taken as prescribed, PrEP can reduce the risk of getting HIV from sex by up to 99% and from injection drug use by at least 74%. The medication prevents the virus from multiplying in the body and it overtakes healthy cells. Eventually, the virus dies out because it is not able to duplicate and grow, which ultimately prevents transmission.
PrEP is commonly marketed as a medication primarily for men in the LGBTQ community. However, as Black women represent an increasing rate of HIV diagnoses, they are also a key demographic that benefits from using PrEP.
Whitman-Walker is making a concerted effort to reach all residents who can benefit from PrEP, as the health center underscores the importance of normalizing health care resources and education in underserved communities where disparities are most prevalent.
Further, Ramatoulaye Keita, Whitman-Walker’s director of Community Health and Wellness, highlights the organization’s goal to connect with others who are less aware of the benefits of PrEP, particularly Black women.
The community health center is hosting a six-month string of PrEP awareness events at local beauty shops across the city starting with residents residing within the Sycamore and Oak neighborhoods in Southeast, D.C.
During each event, the clinic’s health care providers will supply HIV and STI testing, also dispensing PrEP by oral and injectable dosages. The organization is hopeful to see PrEP become a commonly known medication among various demographics as it has stood as the “cornerstone of comprehensive HIV prevention strategies.”
“Having conversations with like-minded folks that you can share with in detail [is important],” Keita noted, adding that it’s about normalizing the conversation with people who are familiar with PrEP. “[For example] in your beauty shop, if your beautician is having a conversation with you, it’s another Black woman talking to you.”
