BANGKOK – The Thai Red Cross Society has held a seminar following up on PrEP pre-exposure HIV prevention medicine services in Thailand, where the drugs are offered to persons in risk groups, helping them prevent becoming infected. The medication, which will accumulate within the body, after a period of daily administration, can help destroy HIV virus entering the body, with almost 100% percent prevention capability. The Department of Disease Control recommends people who indulge in risky behavior use PrEP to help prevent new infections.
The seminar was held in honor of HRH Princess Soamsawali, the Princess Suddhanarinatha, who has been named the Goodwill Ambassador for HIV Prevention in Asia and the Pacific by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), due to her remarkable contributions to public health campaigns.
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) Secretary General Sakcha Kanjanawatana said at this seminar that the government has given high priority to the prevention of infectious diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, which has shown a remarkable decline in new cases over the past 4 years.
He said the use of PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis medication, is an option to prevent HIV infection in addition to the use of condoms, with close to 100 percent effectiveness. People in risk groups, such as those with multiple sexual partners and those who cannot use condoms every time, are encouraged to take this medication to prevent HIV infection.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) Deputy Director General Preecha Prempree said PrEP will be covered under national health security benefits from 2020 fiscal year, thus, people in risk groups can help protect themselves from HIV infection by requesting the medication at any of the 51 service centers in 21 provinces across the country, all free of charge.
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